Oppian of Anazarbus, or simply Oppian, was a 2nd-century Greek poet who is only remembered for his Greek poems on fishing and hunting. Of his surviving works, his poem on fishing (De piscatu) is his most important, much in part because it was dedicated to Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.
This 1597 edition of the poems of Oppian includes two major poems - the expected poem on fishing and the other on hunting. However, it should be noted that the Oppian named as the author of the hunting poem is Oppian of Syria. According to scholars, Oppian of Syria was familiar with the hunting poem of Oppian of Anazarbus and wrote his poem as a supplement to the former.
Regardless of the authorship, this late 16th-century work is a fascinating and desirable piece on Ancient Roman leisure activities and outdoors sport. Edited and translated with commentary by Konrad Rittershausen, this printing features both Latin and Greek texts in… Read More