ABSTRACT
For a small number of prominent sophists we have some evidence from outside Philostratus; and on five of them we have enough to throw more light on the biographer’s outlook and limitations. It is opportune that these five should illustrate several different approaches at his disposal. For Aelius Aristides he has produced one of his conventional short notices; Dio of Prusa and Favorinus he has chosen to treat as ‘philosophic’ sophists outside the main group; while for Polemo and even more for Herodes Atticus he has allowed himself a much larger collection of material, in accordance with the importance he assigns to these idols.
