Ancient Greek Lexicons

The earliest examples of Greek lexicons appear during the Hellenistic period, roughly from the 3rd century BCE. These lexicons were created by scholars working at the Library of Alexandria and others. While ancient Greeks did use the Homeric epics for teaching, they didn't have dictionaries in the modern sense before this time. Scholars like Hesychius (5th century CE) also contributed to the development of lexicons. The earliest surviving lexicons often focused on Attic Greek and included word definitions and quotations...

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Hellenistic Period:

• The Library of Alexandria played a crucial role in the development of Greek lexicons during this period (3rd century BCE and later).

Attic Lexicons:

• Early lexicons often focused on the Attic dialect of Greek, defining words and providing illustrative quotations.

Hesychius's Lexicon:

• The lexicon by Hesychius, dating to the 5th century CE, is a significant example of early Greek lexicography.

Modern Greek Lexicons:

• While the oldest examples are from antiquity, the modern Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ aka "Alice") and other lexicons continue to be invaluable resources for studying Ancient Greek

Before year zero

1. The Glossai of Aristophanes of Byzantium (c. 257–180 BC)

• Who: Head of the Library of Alexandria.
• What: Compiled glossaries and lists of rare or dialectal words used in Homer and other early poetry.
• Online: Not complete, but references exist in later works. His materials influenced later lexica.

2. The Lexicon of Apollonius the Sophist (1st century AD)

• What: A surviving lexicon on Homeric words (Λέξεις Ὁμηρικαί).
• Why relevant: Based on older sources, possibly including works from before 1 BC.
• Online: Yes – the Greek text is available:
  • Perseus Project: Apollonius Sophista - Lexicon Homericum (Greek)
  • Archive.org: Critical editions and scans

3. The Onomasticon of Pollux (Julius Pollux, 2nd century AD)

• What: A ten-book lexicon organized thematically (not alphabetically), preserving many Attic and technical terms.
• Why relevant: Based on Hellenistic sources, including possibly lost lexica from before 1 BC.
• Online: Yes
  • LacusCurtius: Onomasticon of Pollux (some books)

4. Hesychius of Alexandria (5th century AD, but based on older sources)

• What: His lexicon preserves rare words, dialectal forms, and glosses, citing earlier works (many now lost) from before 1 BC.
• Online:
  • Google Books: Moriz Schmidt’s edition (Greek)
  • Archive.org: Older editions

Conclusion

There is no full dictionary from before 1 BC, but several glossaries and word-lists from the 3rd to 1st century BC survive indirectly through:

• Apollonius Sophista
• Aristophanes of Byzantium (via others)
• Pollux and Hesychius, who cite earlier works.