On the Introduction of Apollonius

Εἰς τὴν Ἀπολλωνίου εἰσαγωγήν

On the Introduction of Apollonius is a grammatical treatise by the second-century scholar Herodian of Alexandria. It functions as an exegetical commentary on the Introduction, a foundational textbook on Greek grammar composed by Herodian’s father, the grammarian Apollonius Dyscolus. The work would have addressed technical linguistic subjects such as syntax, the parts of speech, and prosody, serving to elucidate and expand upon his father’s systematic teachings for an audience of advanced students or fellow specialists. The original text is not extant; its content is known only through fragments preserved in the works of later grammarians. These excerpts, which include discussions on the formation of diminutive names, indicate the work’s detailed philological character. Herodian, who worked in Rome under the emperor Marcus Aurelius, dedicated much of his career to refining and explicating his father’s grammatical system, placing this treatise within a direct and influential father-son intellectual lineage. Despite its fragmentary survival, the treatise exemplifies the advanced grammatical scholarship of the period and contributed to Herodian’s enduring reputation. His doctrines on grammar and accentuation remained standard references for centuries and were extensively quoted by Byzantine scholars, ensuring the preservation of fragments from this and other lost works.