Bibliography

To avoid presenting a large and amorphous list, the bibliographical lists on this site divide the material into primary and secondary sources, and distinguish between material focusing on paradoxography itself and that dealing with related texts and contexts.

A 'core' bibliography comprising critical editions and translations of the paradoxographical texts themselves, along with the key secondary literature, is given below. Access to the main bibliographies is via the clickable buttons.

Bibliographies are maintained on our Zotero account. Updates to the bibliography will be noted via one or all of blog, Twitter, and Facebook; readers with a Zotero account can subscribe to an RSS feed.

Although the paradoxographical texts have been collected in scholarly editions in the original Greek or Latin, the secondary literature on the texts themselves remains relatively sparse, though growing steadily. However, their nature as compilations from and sources for a much wider range of factual literature means that there is a considerable body of modern work that is of relevance to their study.

In addition, various non-paradoxographical primary texts are used as sources by the paradoxographical authors or show parallels with paradoxography proper. Aristotle's History of Animals, for example, was a major source of striking facts about animals, while Pliny's Natural History often shows a paradoxographical streak in dealing with natural marvels.

Apart from the subject-matter of the texts themselves, there are wider and more diffuse issues such as the purpose of (and audiences for) paradoxography, and its relation to cultural, social and literary contexts.

Alexander of Myndus (2015) ‘Alexander of Myndos (25).’ Edited by Sulochana R. Asirvatham, with translation and commentary. In Brill’s New Jacoby. https://www.academia.edu/7227857

Antigonus Carystius (1986) Rerum mirabilium collectio. Edited by Olimpio Musso. Napoli: Bibliopolis.

——— (2012) ‘Antigonos’ collection of extraordinary stories: translation and commentary’. Edited by I. R. Ciuca, with translation and commentary. PhD, University College London.

——— (2018a) ‘Pseudo-Antigonos de Carystos: collection d’histoires curieuses. Vol. I: Introduction – Édition – Traduction’. Edited by Dimitra Eleftheriou, with translation and commentary. PhD, Paris: Université Paris Nanterre. https://bdr.parisnanterre.fr/theses/internet/2018/2018PA100019/2018PA100019_1.pdf

——— (2018b) ‘Pseudo-Antigonos de Carystos: collection d’histoires curieuses. Vol. II: Commentaire’. Edited by Dimitra Eleftheriou, with translation and commentary. PhD, Paris: Université Paris Nanterre. https://bdr.parisnanterre.fr/theses/internet/2018/2018PA100019/2018PA100019_2.pdf

——— (2021) ‘Antigonus: ἱστοριῶν παραδόξων συναγωγή – Compilation of Marvellous Accounts’. Translated by Rachel Hardiman. Paradoxography.org. 2021. https://sites.google.com/site/paradoxography/texts/antigonus

Apollonius (2016) ‘Apollonios, Amazing Stories (1672).’ Edited by Janet Spittler, with translation and commentary. In Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker Part IV. Leiden: Brill.

——— (2021) ‘Apollonius: ἱστορίαι θαυμάσιαι – Inquiries into Marvels’. Translated by Rachel Hardiman. Paradoxography.Org. 2021. https://sites.google.com/site/paradoxography/texts/apollonius

Apps, Arwen E. (2011) ‘Gaius Julius Solinus and his Polyhistor: Collectanea rerum memorabilium’. PhD, North Ryde, NSW: Macquarie University.

[Aristotle] (1936) ‘On Marvellous Things Heard [De mirabilibus auscultationibus]’. In Aristotle: Minor Works, translated by Hett, W.S., 237–325. Cambridge, Mass; London: Harvard University Press; Heinemann. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Aristotle/de_Mirabilibus*.html

——— (1972) Werke in deutscher Übersetzung. 18:2 Mirabilia, 18:3 De audibilibus. Translated by Flashar, H. and Klein, U. von. Berlin: Akad.-Verl. & Darmstadt Wiss. Buchges.

——— (2007) Racconti meravigliosi. Translated with introduction and commentary by Gabriella Vanotti. Milano: Bompiani.

Geus, Klaus, and Colin Guthrie King (2018) ‘Paradoxography’. In Oxford Handbook of Science and Medicine in the Classical World, edited by Paul Keyser and John Scarborough, 431–44. Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://www.academia.edu/37560141/

Giannini, A. (1963) ‘Studi sulla paradossografia greca. I: Da Omero a Caliimaco, motivi e forme del meraviglioso’. Rendiconti dell’Istituto Lombardo XCVII: 247–66.

——— (1964) ‘Studi sulla paradossografia greca. II: Da Callimaco all’età imperiale: la letteratura paradossografica’. Acme XVII: 99–138.

Giannini, Alexander, ed. (1966) Paradoxographorum Graecorum reliquiae. Milano: Istituto editoriale italiano.

Gómez Espelosín, Francisco Javier, ed. (1996) Paradoxógrafos griegos: rarezas y maravillas. Translated by Gómez Espelosín, F.Javier. Madrid: Gredos.

Lightfoot, Jessica (2021) Wonder and the Marvellous from Homer to the Hellenistic World. Cambridge Classical Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009003551

Pajón Leyra, Irene (2009) ‘Paradoxografía Griega: Estudio de un Género Literario’. PhD, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. https://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/9415/

——— (2011) Entre ciencia y maravilla: el género literario de la paradoxografía griega. Zaragoza: Zaragoza University Press.

Paradoxographus Florentinus (2018) ‘Anonymous, Paradoxographus Florentinus (1680).’ Edited by Robin J. Greene, with translation and commentary. In Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker Part IV. Leiden: Brill.

——— (2022) ‘Paradoxographus Florentinus: Aquatic Marvels’. Translated by Rachel Hardiman. paradoxography.org. https://sites.google.com/site/paradoxography/texts/paradoxographus-florentinus

Paradoxographus Palatinus (2017) ‘Paradoxographus Palatinus (1681).’ Edited by Søren Lund Sørensen, with translation and commentary. In Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker Part IV. Leiden: Brill.

Paradoxographus Vaticanus (2008) ‘Paradoxographus Vaticanus’. Translated by J. Stern. In In pursuit of Wissenschaft: Festschrift für William M. Calder III zum 75. Geburtstag, edited by S. Heilen, 437–66. Spudasmata, Bd. 119. Hildesheim; New York: Georg Olms Verlag.

——— (2022) ‘Paradoxographus Vaticanus: Marvels’. Translated by Rachel Hardiman. paradoxography.org. https://sites.google.com/site/paradoxography/texts/paradoxographus-vaticanus

‘Paradoxography Project’ (n.d.). Sententiae Antiquae. https://sententiaeantiquae.com/original-projects-and-translations/paradoxography/

Phlegon of Tralles (1996) Phlegon of Tralles’ Book of Marvels. Translated with introduction and commentary by William Hansen. Exeter: University of Exeter Press.

——— (2002) Das Buch der Wunder und Zeugnisse seiner Wirkungsgeschichte. Translated by Brodersen, K. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

——— (2004) Phlegon van Tralles: Wonderbaarlijke verschijnselen. Translated by Ferwerda, R. Budel: Damon.

——— (2010) Opuscula de Rebus Mirabilibus et de Longaevis. Berlin: de Gruyter.

——— (2010) ‘Phlegón Csodálatos történetek című műve [Phlegon’s Book of marvels - a translation and commentary]’. Edited by Dóra Pataricza, with translation and commentary. PhD, University of Debrecen. http://hdl.handle.net/2437/99507

——— (2011) Kísértethistóriák és egyéb csodák: Phlegón Csodálatos történetei. Edited by Dóra Pataricza, with translation and commentary. Budapest: Gondolat Kiadó.

——— (2011) Das Buch der Wunder: Antike Sensationsgeschichten [audio book; 2 CDs]. Translated by Kai Brodersen. Auditorium Maximum.

——— (2013) Flegonte di Tralle, Il libro delle meraviglie e tutti i frammenti. Edited by Tommaso Braccini and Massimo Scorsone. Torino: Giulio Einaudi editore.

——— (2019) Flégon de Trales - História, histórias e paradoxografia: opera omnia. Translated with introduction and commentary by Reina Marisol Troca Pereira. Coimbra: Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra. https://digitalis.uc.pt/pt-pt/livro/hist%C3%B3ria_hist%C3%B3rias_e_paradoxografia_opera_omnia

——— (2019) ‘Phlegon of Tralleis (1667).’ Edited by Kelly E. Shannon-Henderson, with translation and commentary. In Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker Part IV. Leiden: Brill.

Schepens, Guido, and Kris Delcroix (1996) ‘Ancient paradoxography: origin, evolution, production and reception’. In La letteratura di consumo nel mondo greco-latino, edited by O. Pecere and A. Stramaglia, 373–460. Cassino: Università degli studi di Cassino.

Schorn, Stefan, ed. (2021) IV. Biography and Antiquarian Literature, E. Paradoxography and Antiquities. Fasc. 2: Paradoxographers of Imperial Times and Undated Authors. Die Fragmente der Griechischen Historiker. Leiden: Brill.

Solinus (1895) Collectanea Rerum Memorabilium. Edited by Th Mommsen. Berlin: Weidmann. http://www.archive.org/stream/civliisolinicol00soligoog#page/n6/mode/2up;
Alternative version available at The Latin Library http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/solinus5.html

——— (n.d.) ‘Collectanea Rerum Memorabilium / Gaius Iulius Solinus and his Polyhistor’. Translated by Arwen E. Apps. ToposText. https://topostext.org/work/747.

Wenskus, O., and L. Daston (2000) ‘Paradoxographoi’. In Der neue Pauly. Vol. 9, 309–314.

Westermann, Anton, ed. (1839) Παραδοξογράφοι. Scriptores Rerum Mirabilium Graeci. Brunswick; London: Black & Armstrong (London). https://archive.org/details/paradoxographoi00pselgoog

Ziegler, K. (1949) ‘Paradoxographoi’. In Real-Encyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaften. Vol. Bd. 18,3 1137–1166.