When was Strabo born and where did he originate from?
Strabo was born around 64 BC or 63 BC into an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus. His relatives had been deeply involved in politics since at least the reign of Mithridates V.
Questions about Strabo
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who were the teachers that educated Strabo during his early life?
Strabo studied under Aristodemus in Nysa, philosophy with Xenarchus and Athenodorus Cananites in Rome, and grammar from Tyrannion of Amisus. These three mentors completed his traditional Greek aristocratic education in rhetoric, grammar, and philosophy.
Where did Strabo travel to during his lifetime as a geographer?
Strabo journeyed to Egypt and Kush while traveling as far west as the coastal region of Tuscany and as far south as Ethiopia. He visited Gyaros island in 29 BC and sailed up the Nile until reaching Philae around 25 BC.
During which period was Strabo's Geography written and published?
The exact date when Strabo's Geography was written remains unknown but comments place the finished version within the reign of Emperor Tiberius. The first printed edition was published in 1516 in Venice after surviving throughout the Byzantine Empire.
What geological observations did Strabo make about fossil formation and volcanism?
Strabo commented on Nummulite stones found near the pyramids and observed volcanism at Katakekaumene in modern Kula Western Turkey. His observations predated Pliny the Younger who witnessed Mount Vesuvius erupting on the 24th of August AD 79 in Pompeii.