Two Men Giving Birth: Phlegon of Tralles, De Mirab. 26-27

Two Men Giving Birth

Name: Phlegon of Tralles Date:    2nd century CE Region:   Tralles [modern Turkey]      Citation: On Marvels 26-27

In his Commentaries, Dorotheus the Physician reported that in Alexandria, Egypt, a man[1] gave birth. The fetus was preserved and put on display on account of the marvel.

While on campaign in Germany, one of the soldiers in the Roman army led by T. Curtilius Mancias, had a slave who gave birth. This happened when Conon was in charge of Athens, and when Quintus Volusius Saturninus and Publius Cornelius Scipio were consuls of Rome.      

---

[1] Phlegon uses the term κίναιδος here to explain the man’s pregnancy. Although this term was often used pejoratively in the ancient world, Phlegon uses it neutrally here.

Δωρόθεος δέ φησιν ὁ ἰατρὸς ἐν Υπομνήμασιν ἐν Αλεξανδρείᾳ τῇ κατ’ Αἴγυπτον κίναιδον τεκεῖν. τὸ δὲ βρέφος ταριχευθὲν χάριν τοῦ παραδόξου φυλάττεσθαι.

Dorotheus medicus in Commentarios suos retulit, Alexandreae in Aegypto cinaedum peperisse: foetum conditum, miraculi causa, asservari.

ἐν Γερμανίᾳ ἐν τῷ στρατῷ τῶν Ρωμαίων ὅς ἦν ὑπὸ Τίτῳ Κουρτιλίῳ Μαγκίᾳ, τὸ ἀυτὸ τοῦτο ἐγένετο. Δοῦλος γὰρ στρατιώτου ἔτεκεν ἄρχοντος Ἀθήνησιν Κόνωνος. υπατευόντων έν Ρώμη Κλίντου Οὐλουσίου Σατορνίνου καὶ Ποπλίου Κορνηλίου Σκιπίωνος.

In Germania, in exercitu Romano, quem T. Curtilius Mancias duxit servus militis peperit: Athenis Conone praeside, Romae Q. Volusio Saturnino, et P. Cornelio Scipione consulibus.    Translated into Latin by Wilhelm Xylander

Phlegon of Tralles [2nd century CE, modern Turkey] According to the Suda [φ527], Phlegon of Tralles was a freedman of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He wrote numerous works in Greek that are now lost, including the Olympiads and Roman festivals. His work, On Marvels, is a collection of extraordinary occurrences throughout history.