APHTHONIUS, of Antioch, Greek sophist and rhetorician, flourished in the second half of the 4th century A.D., or even later. We possess by him IIpoyvuvaiµara, an introductory textbook on rhetoric, with exercises, written in a pure and simple style. The book maintained its popularity as late as the 17th century, especially in Germany. A collection of 4o fables by Aphthonius, after the style of Aesop, is also extant.
Spengel, Rhetores Graeci, ii.; Finckh, Aphthonii Progymnasmata (1865) ; Hoppichler, De Theone, Hermogene, Aphthonioque Progym nasmatum Scriptoribus (1884), H. Rabe (Leipzig, 1926) ; edition of the fables by Furia (181o).