Aristeas

Aristeas refers primarily to two individuals in classical history, one real and one likely fictional:

• Aristeas of Proconnesus: A legendary Greek miracle-worker and poet of the 7th century BCE. He was reputed to have traveled extensively, including to the lands of the Hyperboreans. He is known primarily through the writings of Herodotus, who considered him a figure of questionable historical authenticity. Aristeas of Proconnesus is best known for his epic poem, the Arimaspeia, now lost, which described his journeys into the far north. The poem's content, focused on encounters with mythical creatures like the one-eyed Arimaspians who battled griffins for gold, contributed significantly to early Greek conceptions of the northern world. He was said to have the power to leave his body and travel in spirit form, and to have mysteriously disappeared and reappeared multiple times.

• Aristeas, Supposed Author of the Letter of Aristeas: The purported author of the Letter of Aristeas, a pseudepigraphic work claiming to recount the process by which the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, was created in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (283-247 BCE). The Letter is a valuable source for understanding Jewish life and culture in Alexandria during the Hellenistic period, although its claims about the translation process are generally considered historically inaccurate. Scholars believe that the Letter was likely written by a Hellenistic Jew in Alexandria, not by a court official named Aristeas as claimed within the text. The purpose of the Letter is debated, but it likely sought to legitimize the Septuagint and to promote Jewish culture to a Greek-speaking audience.