Chariton published 1 novella. The best-known is Chaereas and Callirhoe.
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Chariton
Start here
Chaereas and Callirhoe
Chariton's most-read book.
Novellas in order
Chaereas and Callirhoe (1939)
About Chariton
Chariton of Aphrodisias was the author of an ancient Greek novel probably titled Callirhoe. However, it is regularly referred to as Chaereas and Callirhoe. Evidence of fragments of the text on papyri suggests that the novel may have been written in the mid-1st century AD, making it the oldest surviving complete ancient prose romance and the only one to make use of apparent historiographical features for background verisimilitude and structure, in conjunction with elements of Greek mythology, as Callirhoe is frequently compared to Aphrodite and Ariadne and Chaereas to numerous heroes, both implicitly and explicitly. As the fiction takes place in the past, and historical figures interact with the plot, Callirhoe may be understood as the first historical novel; it was later imitated by Xenophon of Ephesus and Heliodorus of Emesa, among others.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Chariton FAQ
- How many books has Chariton written?
- Chariton published 1 novella that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Chariton's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Chaereas and Callirhoe.
- What is Chariton's most famous book?
- Chaereas and Callirhoe is Chariton's most widely read book.
Authors like Chariton
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.