In the prooemium to his Geography Strabo announces that, among other topics, he intends to supply information on the lives of ἄνδρες ἐπιφανεῖς. And in fact, numerous passages of his κολοσσουργία give praise to famous persons and briefly characterise them in connection with the description of certain poleis. These passages may be regarded as a typical feature of his cultural geography of Asia Minor and the Mediterranean world. Strabo honours prominent men of letters and learning by calling them ἄνδρες ἔνδοξοι καὶ ἀξιόλογοι. Usually, he makes mention of such men of high reputation after providing a description of the main geographical features of their native towns. Other persons, however, are reported along with the cities where they have been active as prominent scholars, teachers or authors. For instance, Strabo bestows praise on the Stoic philosopher Posidonius, a born Apamean, and on two orators named Apollonius, natives of Alabanda, in his description of Rhodes. Finally, in other passages Strabo follows a custom well established among ancient biographers informing his readers about places where famous people had died, for instance the philosopher Aristotle at Chalcis or the orator Demosthenes at Calauria. It comes as no big surprise that Strabo mentions only three γυναῖκες ἔνδοξοι (the poetess Sappho, the Cyrenean philosopher Arete and an Alexandrian grammarian called Hestiaea) against over two hundred men of high reputation.