How the investigation works -Our working method (and what to expect)
Each installment is built like a case file: we start with the claim, locate the earliest witnesses, test the language, and follow the transmission trail.
The Phantom Duke Investigation
Did a duke ever exist—or did a scribal slip create him? An investigative series examining the mysterious figure known as “Oligamus Stella”, and the possibility that he never existed at all.
Across manuscripts, marginalia, and later compilations, we trace how a name can harden into a “person,” how authority gets copied forward, and how a single reading can echo for centuries.
“In medieval sources, certainty is often a copy of a copy.”
The Neapolis Forgotten Paths Project
This page is your guide to the investigation: the core questions, the methods we use, and the best place to begin.
Continue to the bottom of the page to enter the portal for Part One of the Phantom Duke investigation.
Key questions we’re trying to answer
A quick orientation to the puzzle—and how we’ll judge the evidence.
Who first wrote “Oligamus Stella,” and in what context?
We prioritize the earliest surviving witnesses and document the chain of copying, citation, and editorial intervention.
Is it a person, a title, or a misread phrase?
We test paleographic and linguistic alternatives (abbreviations, word breaks, and common formulae) before treating it as a name.
How did later historians repeat or reshape the claim?
We track how compilers and antiquarians harmonized conflicting notes into a single narrative—and what they left out.
What would “ducal” status imply for the period?
We compare the supposed figure against known offices, regional power structures, and documentary habits of the era.
What counts as a strong result in this investigation?
Either a credible identification with a documented individual—or a clear demonstration that the “duke” is a transmission error.
Can readers follow along and contribute?
Yes—share leads, parallel readings, or bibliography via the contact page. We’ll credit substantive contributions in updates.