Seven epigrams, alike in subject-matter and style, form a group in A.P. 9.370–6. They stand in the midst of a miscellany of authors datable from the second to the tenth century a.d.

The first of the seven is ascribed to ‘Tiberius’, the other six are all ‘of uncertain authorship’. Both the anecdotal subject-matter and the style of the epigrams in this group strongly reflect the period of Philip's Garland, c. 90 b.c. – a.d. 40. The other potential source for epigrams of this type, the Cycle of Agathias, is improbable for several reasons. First, the anecdotal type of epigram is very rare in the Cycle; only Paulus 9.396, Julianus 9.398, and Agathias 9.442 are comparable. Secondly, the style of these epigrams is quite unlike that of the Cycle-poets. Thirdly, two lines in the six anonymous epigrams and one in the epigram ascribed to Tiberius have proparoxytone hexameter-ends, contrary to the rule of the Cycle.

The date of the group is problematic, but the commentary will show that all would have passed muster in Philip's Garland if the tradition had assigned them to it. The only apparent obstacle to a date in the first half of the first century a.d. or even somewhat earlier is the heading to 9.370.

Modern editions all give the heading ‘Tiberius Illustris’ to A.P. 9.2 and 9.370. If this is correct, there is an end of the matter.