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Philostratus

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Greek sophist and biographer who wrote “Lives of the Sophists” and “Life of Apollonius of Tyana.”

Detailed Definition
Philostratus’ biographies of wise men and miracle-workers became poetic templates for the sage as mystic, blending history and legend to elevate the philosopher into a mythic figure of wonder and moral authority.
Example
Example in poetry:
Philostratus, biographer of Apollonius: "Philostratus wrote of Apollonius’ miracles—was it devotion or fiction?"; A metafictional line: "He shaped the sage into hero—Philostratus, novelist of philosophy"; A debate: "History or hagiography? Philostratus blurred the line, like many biographers"; A tribute: "Through him, Apollonius walked, healed, ascended—Philostratus, maker of legends"
Additional Notes
Philostratus wrote “Lives of the Sophists” and “Life of Apollonius,” blending biography with myth; his work exemplifies how ancient poets and philosophers were mythologized, influencing Romantic biographical poetry that elevates the thinker into legend, as in Shelley’s “Adonais,” where the poet becomes a transcendent figure beyond historical fact.
Also Known As
Flavius Philostratus
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