Claudius Aelianus (; c. 175 – c. 235 CE), often seen as just
Aelian , born at
Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of
rhetoric who flourished under
Septimius Severus and probably outlived
Elagabalus, who died in 222. He spoke
Greek so perfectly that he was called "honey-tongued" (
meliglossos); Roman-born, he preferred Greek authors, and wrote in a slightly archaizing Greek himself.