ANDROPHAGOI
Greek Name
Ανδροφαγος
Ανδροφαγοι
Transliteration
Androphagos
Androphagoi
Latin Spelling
Androphagus
Androphagi
Translation
Man-Eater, Cannibal
(andros, phagos)
THE ANDROPHAGOI were a tribe of African cannibals who fed exclusively on the flesh of men.
Their neighbours included the Agriophagoi who ate the flesh of lions and leopards and the Pamphagoi who devoured everything.
ALTERNATE NAME SPELLINGS
Greek Name
Ανθροφαγος
Ανθροφαγοι
Transliteration
Anthrophagos
Anthrophagoi
Latin Spelling
Anthrophagus
Anthrophagi
Translation
Man-Eater, Cannibal
(anthropos, phagos)
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 6. 23 - 25 (trans. Conybeare) (Greek biography C1st to C2nd A.D.) :
"The Nasamones and the Androphagoi (Man-Eaters) and the Pygmaioi (Pygmies) and Skiapodes (Shadow-Foots) people are also tribes of Aithiopia (Ethiopia), and they extend as far as the Okeanos Aithiopos (Ethiopian Ocean), which no mariners ever enter except as castaways who do so against their will."
Pliny the Elder, Natural History 6. 195 (trans. Rackham) (Roman encyclopedia C1st A.D.) :
"Then come regions [in Africa] that are purely imaginary: towards the west [of the Ethiopian kingdom of Meroe] are . . . the Agriophagi (Wild-Beast-Eaters), who live chiefly on the flesh of panthers and lions; the Pamphagi (Eat-Alls), who devour everything; the Anthropophagi (Man-Eaters), whose diet is human flesh."
SOURCES
GREEK
- Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana - Greek Biography C2nd A.D.
ROMAN
- Pliny the Elder, Natural History - Latin Encyclopedia C1st A.D.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.