Sosicrates

Sosicrates of Rhodes (Greek: Σωσικράτης ὁ Ῥόδιος; floruit c. 180 BC) was a Greek historical writer. Sosicrates was born on the island Rhodes and is noted, chiefly, for his frequent mention by Diogenes Laërtius in his Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers[1] — referencing Sosicrates as the sole authority behind such facts as Aristippus having written nothing.[2] It is inferred that Sosicrates flourished after Hermippus and before Apollodorus of Athens, and, therefore, sometime between 200 and 128 BC. Sosicrates is claimed to have penned a Successions of Philosophers, quoted by both Athenaeus[3] and Diogenes Laërtius.[4] Sosicrates also composed a work on the history of Crete[5] — though neither of the aforementioned works have survived.

Notes

1. Diogenes Laërtius, i. 49, 68, 75, 88, 95, 101, 106, 107; ii. 84; vi. 13, 80
2. Diogenes Laërtius, ii. 84
3. Athenaeus, iv. 163
4. Diogenes Laërtius, i. 107; vi. 13, 80; viii. 8
5. Strabo, x.; Athenaeus, vi. 261

Sources

• Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. 3, page 882