Iamblichus (novelist)

[4] Iamblichus was educated in Babylon, and didn't become acquainted with the Greek language until later in his life.

After having lived at Babylon for a number of years, he was taken prisoner and sold as a slave to a Syrian, who, however, appears to have set him free again.

[5] For a time, he lived in Armenia, when it was ruled by the Roman client king; his fellow Emesene and distant relative Sohaemus.

Garmus, a legendary king of Babylon, forces Sinonis to marry him and throws Rhodanes into prison.

The lovers manage to escape, and after many singular adventures, in which magic plays a considerable part, Garmus is overthrown by Rhodanes, who becomes king of Babylon.

[7] According to the Suda, it consisted of 39 books, but Photios,[8] who gives a tolerably full epitome of the work, mentions only 16.

[9] A perfect copy of the work in manuscript existed down to the year 1671, when it was destroyed by fire.