Kallimakhos of Kure ̄ne ̄ (ca 285 – ca 245 BCE)
Born ca 310 BCE in Kure ̄ne ̄ and perhaps a
descendant of the formerly ruling Battiad
family, who spent the greater part of his
life at the Ptolemaic court in Alexandria,
during the reigns of Philadelphos (285–
246 BCE) and Euergete ̄s (246– 221 BCE). A
prominent member of the Mouseion
(Museum), he was highly regarded as a
scholar and a learned poet. His prolific
pen produced more than 800 works in
prose and verse (Souda K-227), but besides
several hundred fragments only six hymns
and some 60 epigrams survive intact.
The most famous part of Kallimakhos’
scholarly activity concerned the organiza-
tion of the great library of Alexandria,
resulting in the publication of 120 books
of Pinakes or Lists of People who have Dis-
tinguished themselves in all Fields of Learning,
and their Writings, but he also wrote a num-
ber of scientific treatises. In addition to
authoring lesser-known books On Winds (F 404), On Birds (F 414–428) and On The Rivers of the
Wo rl d (F 457–459), he was probably the first to compile a collection of thaumasia or marvel-
ous phenomena occurring in the natural world. The topics chosen for inclusion by the
founding-father of ancient paradoxography would remain strong favorites throughout the
genre’s history: wondrous waters (rivers, springs and lakes), animals, plants, stones and fire
(F 407–411). The detailed title transmitted in the Souda (K-227), Collection of the Wonders
Happening all around the World, Arranged by Locality, perhaps not entirely authentic, at least
suggests a geographical organization; one sub-section is known to have gathered the won-
ders found in the Peloponnesus and Italy. This kind of arrangement would remain one of
four basic types commonly used in paradoxographical treatises, the other three being top-
ical or thematic, bibliographic (according to the excerpted sources) and alphabetical.
Kallimakhos’ working method was essentially bookish, resting exclusively on the wealth
of information accumulated in the Alexandrian library. Judging from the long series of
excerpts contained in A’ Historia mirabilium (§ 129 – 173), he made a point, in his
collection of wonders, of substantiating all reported curiosities by carefully acknowledging
his written sources, many of whom were reliable historical authorities (E, The-
opompos, A, T). This served to heighten credibility and, thus,
to increase the audience’s sense of amazement. This emphasis on documentation and
trustworthiness became a common feature of ancient paradoxography.
Ed.: R. Pfeiffer, Callimachus I (1949); PGR 15 – 20.
RE 18.3 (1949) 1137–1166 (§1, 1140–1141), K. Ziegler; Giannini (1964) 105–109; Guido Schepens and
K. Delcroix, “Ancient Paradoxography,” in: O. Pecere and A. Stramaglia, edd., La Letteratura
di Consumo nel Mondo Greco-Latino (1996) 373–460 (380–409); BNP 10 (2007) 506–509 (I.B.1, 508),
O. Wenskus.
Jan Bollansée, Karen Haegemans, and Guido Schepens
Kallimakhos of Kurene (identification dis-
Kallimakhos of Kure ̄ne ̄ Photo: Ole Haupt, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
KALLIMAKHOS OF KURE ̄NE ̄