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STEPHANUS BYZANTINUS (STEPHEN OF BYZANTIUM), the author of a geographical dictionary entitled 'Matta, of which, apart from some fragments, we possess only the meagre epitome of one Hermolaus. This work was first edited under the title IIepi lrohecov (Aldus, Venice, 1502); the best modern editions are by W. Dindorf and others (4 vols., Leipzig, 1825), A. Westermann (Leipzig, 1839), and A. Meineke (vol. i., Berlin, 1849). Hermolaus dedicates his epitome to Justinian; whether the first or second emperor of that name is meant is disputed, but it seems probable that Stephanus flourished in the earlier part of the 6th century, under Justinian I. The chief fragments remaining of the original work (which certainly contained lengthy quotations from classical authors and many interesting topographical and historical details) are preserved by Constantine Porphyrogennetos, De administrando imperils, ch. 23 (the article 'Ianpiat &o) and De thematibus, ii. to (an account of Sicily); the latter includes a passage from the comic poet Alexis on the Seven Largest Islands. Another respectable fragment, from the article Abun to the end of A, exists in a MS. of the Seguerian library.
See the editions of Westermann, Dindorf and Meineke, above noticed; the article " Stephanus Byzant.," in Smith's Dictionary o Ancient Biography, vol. iii.; E. H. Bunbury, History of Ancient
eography, i. 102, 135, 169; ii. 669–671 (London, 1883); Riese, De Ste phani Byzant. auctoribus (Kiel, 1873) ; J. Geffcken, De Stephano Byzantio (Gottingen, 1886) ; Spuridon Kontogones, iwp8s rtda cis ra 'EBvuca (Erlangen, 1890) ; Paul Sakolowski, Fragmenta d. S. von B.; E. Stemplinger, Studien zu d. 'E9vuca.