The collection of poems preserved under the name of Theognis is - apart from Homer and Hesiod - the only extant poetic text handed down in manuscript from the time before Pindar. Its peculiar form has provoked a long-running debate on its authenticity and genesis, which has gone so far as to cast doubts on the existence of the poet Theognis. How did the Theognidean corpus come about, and what was Theognis’ influence on it? In response to this question, the present study works through the extensive research literature on the topic and shows the possibilities and limits of an answer.