Towards a gender historiography of pagan intellectuals in late antiquity

The case study of Sosipatra of Ephesus

Abstract

This article presents a critical analysis of the historiography of the female philosopher Sosipatra of Ephesus, an important figure in late antique gender history. I shall examine how she has been viewed by scholars since the 17th century and attempt to determine the historiographic schools, topics and research paths that have contributed to generating an often flawed and distorted image of this pagan female scholar.