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In early societies, largely based on family organizations, genealogy as a derivation of a person's descent in the form of a pedigree is often used as a means of legitimation and (pseudo-historical) memory, which was always also directed at publicity (genealogy from Greek γενεαλογεῖν; genealogeîn, ‘to talk about [one's] origin’). [German version] I. Near East and Egypt The purpose of lineage, transmitted in the form of a genealogy (generally patrilineal; exceptions in the case of Egyptian rulers), was to legitimate a claim to rulership, to tenure of a particular office (priests, high-ranking officials), to professional status (e.g. scribe), or to property rights ( Succession, law of), with the length of the pedigree adding weight to the claim. This is illustrated e.g. by the naming of ancestors of scribes and priests (Egypt, OT), the lists of kings (Mesopotami…

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[German version] (Φοινικοῦσσα/ Phoinikoûssa, Φοινικώδης/ Phoinikṓdēs, Latin Phoenicusa). The sixth of the Aeoliae Insulae in Plin. HN 3,94, modern Filicudi, between the islands of Aliculi in the west and Salina in the east. The date-palm island (φοῖνιξ/ phoînix, Aristot. Mir. 132; Str. 6,2,11) was used for pasture, but at times was settled: a prehistorical settlement has been discovered on Cape Graziano in the east of P., and also numerous graves of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Below sea-level there are remains of buildings surviving from various eras.…

(Μαιάνδριος; Maiándrios). [German version] [1] M. of Samos Tyrant of Samos, 6th cent. BC Confidant of the tyrant Polycrates, conducted negotiations with the Persian satrap Oroetes (Hdt. 3,123; cf. Lucian. Charidemus 14) for him. After the death of Polycrates, M. himself managed to become tyrant in about 521 BC but soon had to give way to Syloson, who was appointed by the Persia…

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(Ἀθηνίων; Athēníōn). [German version] [1] Peripatetic rhetorician in Athens Peripatetic rhetorician in Athens (different from  Aristion [1. 341-343]), only known from the po…

[German version] (Ἔφορος; Éphoros) from Cyme in Asia Minor; Greek universal historian, lived c. 400-330. On the basis of his style, in antiquity he was held to be a student of Isocrates. He was a contemporary of Theopompus (FGrH 70 T 3-5; 8; 28), and was said to have refused Alexander's invitation to accompany him on his campaign in 334 BC (T 6). Works: Epichṓrios lógos (‘History of our homeland’): an encomium to Cyme, which E. even made the homeland of Homer (F 1). ‘On inventions’: to be assigned to the realm of ‘sophist polyhistory’ (cf. Ed. Schwartz), it covered i.a. the origin of Greek letters (F 97 and 236) and types of flute (F 3). ‘On style’: questions of prosody and prose-rhythm. Historíai: a universal history in 30 bks.; avoiding the period of myth (T 8), it extended from the re…

(Κάδμος; Kádmos, Lat.…

(Κράτερος, Κρατ…

[German version] (Ζώιππος/ Zṓippos) from Syracuse. Husband of Heraclea, the daughter of Hieron [2] II. On the latter's initiative he, Adranodorus and others were appointed guardians of the young king Hieronymus [3] (Liv. 24,4-5). By turning towards Carthage he brought about a reorientation of Syracuse's former Rome-friendly policy (Pol. 7,2,1). At the report of the death of Hieronymus in 214 BC, while he was on a diplomatic mission to Ptolemaeus [I 7] IV Philopator in Alexandria [1], he never again returned to Syracuse (Liv. 24,26,1). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography G. de Sensi Sestito, Gerone II. Un monarca ellenistico in Sicilia, 1977, 127 nn. 68 and 70; 133; 173; 176.

(Ζήνων/ Zḗnōn.) [German version] [1] Z. of Elea Eleatic philosopher, 5th cent. BC (Son of Teleutagoras). Eleatic philosopher of the 5th cent. BC; a pupil and intimate friend of Parmenides who became famous for his paradoxes. According to the Suda (29 A 2 DK), Z. wrote many books; but his Λόγοι ( Lógoi, 'Arguments', 40 according to Proclus, 29 A 15 DK) probably belonged to a single book, the one he read aloud to his closest circles in Athens (cf. Pl. Prm. 127c-d). In the lost dialogue Sophistes, Aristotle (Aristoteles [6]) declares Z. to have been the 'inventor' ( protos heuretes …

(Δημαίνετος; Dēmaínetos). …

[German version] ( tò tōn hexakosíōn synédrion). From the death of Timoleon in 337 BC until Agathocles' [2] coup d'état in 316 the oligarchy of the Six Hundred played a prominent part in the politics of Syracusae. Owing to the disparate sources, the origins, competence, composition and statutory statu…

(Σωσίστρατος/ Sōsístratos). [German version] [1] Oligarch in Syracuse, second half of the 4th cent. BC From c. 330 BC leader with Heraclides of the Oligarchy of the Six Hundred in Syracusae. Although he was suspected by Agathocles [2] of aspirations to tyranny, his successes in the war of Croton with the Bruttii confirmed his position in Syracuse (Diod. 19,3,3-5). After a military failure against Rhegium he was banished from Syracuse …

(Τιμαγένης/ Timagénēs). [German version] [1] T. of Alexandria Greek rhetor and historian, 1st cent. BC The Greek rhetor and historian T. arrived in Rome in 55 BC as a prisoner of war of A. Gabinius [I 2] and was ransomed by Sulla's son Cornelius [I 87] Faustus (FGrH 88 T 1). He worked there as a respected rhetor, mentioned in the same breath as Caecilius [III 5] of Cale Acte and Craton (T 1 and 2). Initially, he was in great favour with Augustus, but later fell into disgrace with the emperor because of his all…

[German version] (Ἀριστόκριτος; Aristókritos, of Miletus?). Dating uncertain but before Parthenius (1st cent. BC). Wrote 1 book Peri Miletou: urban history or periegesis. Identification with the author of the book ‘Against Heracleodorus’ according to Jacoby is ‘entirely doubtful’ (FGrH 493 with commentary). Meister, Klaus (Berlin)

(Ἑλλάνικος; Hellánikos). [German version] [1] H. of Mytilene Greek historian, end of 5th cent. BC (T 1). Contrary to ancient tradition, which sometimes puts his birth date towards the end of the 6th cent. (T 4), sometimes at the beginning of the 5th cent. (T 3) and sometimes in the year 480/479 BC (T 1 and 6), younger rather than older contemporary of  Herodotus. At any rate the datable works belong to the last third of the 5th cent. H. analyzed the Herodotean collection of topics into individual components by a series of monographs and, reverting to  Hecataeus [3], even…

(Δαμόφιλος; Damóphilos). [German version] [1] Coroplast and painter, c. 493 BC Coroplast and painter, probably from Magna Graecia. Together with Gorgasos he decorated the Temple of Ceres in Rome (493 BC) with murals and terracotta pediment figures and added artist's epigrams. Later renovations preserved both of these. Neudecker, Richard (Rome) Bibliography Fuchs/Floren, 427, 440 Overbeck, no. 616, 1647 (sources) I. Scheibler, Griech. Malerei der Ant., 1994. [German version] [2] Rich property owner from Enna 136 BC Rich property owner from Enna, who treated the slaves i…

(Σιληνός; Silēnós). [German version] [1] S. from Caleacte Greek historian, 2nd cent. BC Greek historian, like Sosylus in the retinue of Hannibal [4], 'as long as fate allowed it' (FGrH 175 T 2 in Nep. Hann. 13,3). Author of an 'official' history of Hannibal (F 1-2) and of Sikeliká in 4 books (F 3-9). S. was used by Coelius [I 1] Antipater (F 2); perhaps Polybius's criticism (3,47,6-48,12) of 'a number of' Hannibal historians concerning Hannibal's crossing the Alps is aimed at S., in whose work dreams, omens etc. play an important role (F 2). …

[German version] [1] Modern Danube (ὁ Ἴστρος/ ho Ístros; Hister, Danuvius, Danubius, Δάνυβις; Dánybis, the modern Danube). According to Apoll. Rhod. 4, the  Argonautae (with map of the journey of the Argonauts) must have returned from the Black Sea by way of the I. and its tributaries, in order to reach the mare Adriaticum. Hdt. 4,33 is probably describing the same route that the  Hyperborei took from Scythia to Dodona. The Greeks long knew primarily the lower reaches of the I. Hdt. 4,48f. describes the I. as the most important of the rivers known…