Sosylus of Lacedaemon

Sosylus of Lacedaemon (Greek: Σωσύλος) was a Greek historian in the 3rd century BC. He would campaign alongside Hannibal throughout the Second Punic War, teaching him Greek and recording the events of his campaign.[1]

Sosylus
Σωσύλος
NationalityLacedaemon
OccupationHistorian
EmployerHannibal Barca
Known forTutoring Hannibal

There are some disputes regarding where Sosylus was born. The predominant theory sides with his epithet, claiming that he was born in Lacedaemon.[2][3][4][5] There is evidence however, that he may have been born in Ilium as stated by competing testimony from Diodorus.[6]

Serving Hannibal

A contemporary of Hannibal, he accompanied him during the Second Punic War and is the author of the Deeds of Hannibal, a lost historical work of seven volumes; only fragments of the work are known.[6][5][7][8] Sosylus taught Hannibal Greek, while also recording the events of the war.[2][3][9][10]

It is possible that Polybios may have used material from Sosylus' history for his writing about Hannibal in The Histories.[11]

References
  1. Augoustakis, Antony (2009-11-23). Brill's Companion to Silius Italicus. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-21711-9.
  2. Scullard, Howard Hayes (1970). Scipio Africanus: Soldier and Politician. Cornell University Press.
  3. Charles-Picard, Gilbert; Charles-Picard, Colette (1968). The Life and Death of Carthage: A Survey of Punic History and Culture from Its Birth to Its Final Tragedy. Sidgwick & Jackson.
  4. Renatus, Flavius Vegetius (1990). Epitoma Rei Militaris. P. Lang. ISBN 978-0-8204-1403-4.
  5. MacDonald, Eve (2015-02-24). Hannibal: A Hellenistic Life. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-21015-6.
  6. Thompson, James Westfall (1942). A History of Historical Writing ... Macmillan.
  7. Sosylus, in Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (Fragments of Greek Historians) by Felix Jacoby
  8. Hanson, Victor Davis (2007-12-18). Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-307-42518-8.
  9. Dexter Hoyos (26 May 2015). A Companion to the Punic Wars. John Wiley & Sons (2011). p. 100. ISBN 9781119025504.
  10. Rahe, Paul Anthony (2015-11-24). The Grand Strategy of Classical Sparta: The Persian Challenge. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-21860-2.
  11. Jona Lendering (April 6, 2016). "Hannibal in the Alps". Livius.org. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
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