155History, Biography, and Anecdote in Plutarch’s Life of Lysander

This paper explores Plutarch’s biographical work from a formal perspective, focusing on the pivotal role of rhetoric in the composition of Parallel Lives and the narrative value of anecdotes. The use of anecdotes in Plutarch’s biographies underscores the author’s skill in reorganising material drawn from historiographical sources, presenting it according to varying contexts and interpretive frameworks. As anecdotes are inherently polyvalent, their meaning shifts depending on narrative aims, and they can be applied to different characters. Consequently, even seemingly trivial anecdotes serve as entry-points for examining the complexities of human behaviour and ethical decision-making in Parallel Lives . The Life of Lysander is used as a case-study to illustrate these dynamics.