[Title in Greek and Latin] Stephani Byzantini Gentilia per epitomen, antehac… De urbibus inscripta [with] Notae et castigationes postumae in Stephani Byzantii. Lugdundi Batavorum [Leiden]: apud Danielem à Gaesbeeck [and] Lugd. Batavorum [Leiden] apud Jacobus Hackius, 1688 and 1684

Stephanus of Byzantium probably compiled his geographical dictionary in the reign of the first Emperor Justinian, around the second quarter of the sixth century AD. The epitome which has survived remains a valuable source of information about geography, mythology and religion in ancient Greece, preserving fragments from earlier authors.

Our first work, including the original text, was edited by Abraham van Berkel, incorporating the work of scholars including Claude Saumaise and Jacobus Gronovius. The second work is by the Vatican librarian and humanist scholar Lukas Holste, published posthumously from his papers and edited by Theodorus Rijcke.

Condition & Materials

2 related works, uniformly bound, folio. pp. [xviii], 772, [xxiv], 27, [i]; [xvi], 497, [xxxv]. Text in Greek and Latin, titles printed in red and black, occasional trivial spotting. Contemporary calf with gilt spines, lettered direct, some wear to covers and headcaps, upper joints cracked but firm.

Armorial bookplate to the verso of the half title in volume two (none in volume one), of Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury (1682-1747) styled here Viscount Bruce of Ampthill (his title 1685-1741). His son Robert has written his ownership signature on the bookplate, dated 1729.

References

Our copy was listed under small folio dictionaries and grammars in the catalogue of the library printed by Oxford University Press in 1733, one of the earliest English private library catalogues.

OCLC: 10741820 and 6058967.

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Stephanus of Byzantium’s Geographical Dictionary