Suidas

Suidas, also known as Suda or Sudas, was a Byzantine lexicographer of the 10th century. The work attributed to him is a massive encyclopedia, compiled in Constantinople. It is a collection of approximately 30,000 entries, covering a wide range of subjects including history, philosophy, grammar, and mythology. The Lexicon is organized alphabetically and contains biographies of famous figures, explanations of obscure words and phrases, and summaries of literary works.

The authorship of the Suda is uncertain. While traditionally attributed to a single individual named Suidas, scholars now believe it was likely compiled by a team of scholars over a period of time. The Lexicon is invaluable to modern historians and classicists as it preserves information from many ancient sources that are now lost. It provides insights into Byzantine culture, learning, and the state of knowledge during the Middle Ages. The Suda is written in Greek and its language reflects the Koine Greek of the Byzantine era. It remains a primary source for understanding many aspects of the ancient and Byzantine worlds.