Aelian (Claudius Aelianus), born at Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who flourished under Septimius Severus and probably outlived Elagabalus (d. 222). He spoke Greek so perfectly that he was called "honey-tongued" (meliglossos); although he was a Roman, he preferred Greek authors, and wrote in Greek himself.
His chief works are:
- On the Nature of Animals, curious and interesting stories of animal life, frequently used to convey moral lessons (ed. Schneider, 1784; Jacobs, 1832);
- Various History—for the most part preserved only in an abridged form—consisting mainly of anecdotes of men and customs (ed. Lunemann, 1811).
Reference
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Please update as needed.