Nonnus of Panopolis was a Greek epic poet active in the 5th century CE, most likely during the middle or second half of the century. He originated from Panopolis in Roman Egypt, a centre known for its blend of pagan, Christian, and Gnostic thought. Beyond this, no reliable biographical details survive.
His two principal works are the Dionysiaca and the Paraphrase of the Gospel of John. The Dionysiaca is a 48-book epic in dactylic hexameter on the life of the god Dionysus. At 21,286 lines, it is the longest surviving epic from antiquity and represents a culmination of the mythological epic tradition. Its innovative, baroque style and influential metrical technique shaped subsequent Byzantine poetry.
The Paraphrase of the Gospel of John is a hexameter version of the Fourth Gospel. The co-existence of this Christian work and the pagan epic from the same author remains a central topic of scholarly discussion regarding late antique cultural and religious syncretism. Nonnus is consequently a major figure in the study of late antique literature.
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