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Philostephanus of Cyrene ( Philostephanus CyrenaeusHe is referred to once, mistakenly, by Aulus Gellius, as Polystephanus. (FHG); Aulus Gellius found an old manuscript of "Polystephanus" at Brundisium (Leofranc Holford-Strevens, Aulus Gellius: An Antonine Scholar and His Achievement (Oxford University Press) 2003:70.) () was a Hellenistic writer from North Africa Africa, who was a pupil of the poet Callimachus in Alexandria and doubtless worked there during the 3rd century BC.
His history of Cyprus, De Cypro, written during the reign of Ptolemy Philopator (222–206 BC), has been lost, but it was known to at least two Christian writers, Clement of AlexandriaClement, Protrepticus, vi.22. and Arnobius.Arnobius, chs. 17, 32. It contained a narration of the story of the Greek mythology Pygmalion, of Cyprus, who fashioned a cult image of the Greek goddess Aphrodite that came to life. Ovid depended on the account by Philostephanus for his dramatised and expanded version in Metamorphoses, through which the Pygmalion mythThe name Galatea was not applied to his statue until the 18th century: see Galatea. was transmitted to the medieval and modern world.Constance Jordan, "Montaigne's Pygmalion: The Living Work of Art in 'De l'affection des pere aux enfans'", Sixteenth Century Journal. 9,4 (Winter 1978:5-12) p. 5 note 2.
The remarks on Cyprus seem to have come from a larger work, On Islands. Scattered brief quotes of Philostephanus on islands refer also to Sicily,Philostephanus, frs. 16, 17. Calauria off the coast of Troezenfr. 18. and Stryme, off the Thracian coast.fr. 19; Mogens Herman Hansen and Thomas Heine Nielsen, eds. An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis (Oxford University Press) 2004:880, no. 650 Pliny's Natural History adduces Philostephanus as a source for the assertion that Argonautica was the first who went out to sea in a long vessel. N.H., vii.57: Longa nave Jasonem primum navigasse, Philostephanus Auctor est
Other works of Philostephanus cited in surviving passages from other authors were works Of the Cities of Asia, On Mount Kyllini, Epirotica ("On Epirus"), On Marvellous Riversfrs. 20-25. Deipnosophistae reports glancingly Philostephanus' remarks on fishes, which may belong here: "Clearchus says this also more plainly than Philostephanus the Cyrenaean, whom I have previously mentioned: 'There are some fish which, though they have no throats, can utter a sound.'" ( On-line text). On Inventions, and various commentaries.
The fragments of Philostephanus, surviving in quotes from other authors, were published in Karl Wilhelm Ludwig Müller et al, Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum.
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