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(Δαμάσκιος; Damáskios) [German version] A. Life Neoplatonist, last head of the  Academy in Athens, born around AD 462 in Damascus, studied rhetoric around 479/80 with a certain Theon in Alexandria and there also was a member of the Platonist circle. Around 482/3 he went to Athens to teach rhetoric. Around 491/2 he gave up this career and initially studied propaedeutic sciences under  Marinus, who had succeeded Proclus in 485, then philosophy under  Zenodotus. Around 515 Damascius returned to Athens to…

Common Roman cognomen ('venerable') . Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [1] Greek grammarian (Πρεῖσκος/ Preîskos). The 3rd cent. AD PTurner 39 (PIenensis inv. 267), a book catalogue from a private library, presents at line 4 'a commentary on epic verses by P.' [2], who is identified as one of the two Prisci mentioned in Ov. Pont. 4,16,10 ( Priscus uter); he may be identical to Clutorius Priscus, the Roman equestrian and poet mentioned in Tac. Ann. 3,49 and Cass. Dio 57,20,3-4. Fornaro, Sotera (Sassari) Bibliography 1 SH 710 A 2 R. Otranto, Antiche liste di libri su papi…

I. Greece [German version] A. Terminology In ancient Greek, the term phýsis (φύσις, ‘nature’) is a nomen actionis derived from the root * bhu- (which probably implies the idea of coming into being, growth and development). It first of all denotes the state that results from the spontaneous development of a living being: hence the meanings of ‘size’, ‘stature’, or ‘appearance’, all of which point towards the more general meaning of ‘innate bodily characteristics’. Phýsis is thus opposed to téchnē (τέχνη, art), which refers to any competence acquired in various domains of human activity. P…

[German version] (Θεοσέβιος; Theosébios). Neo-Platonic philosopher of the 5th cent. AD, known only through Damascius. According to the latter's Life of Isidorus (Phot. 56-59 and fr. 109-110 Zintzen = 45 A, B; 46 B, D, E Athanassiadi) T. published notes he took at two of Hierocles' [7] lectures in Alexandria [1] commenting on Plato's Gorgias. T. was allegedly able to expel demons by exorcism. When his marriage remained childless, he lived with his wife in chastity, probably in accordance with a Pythagorean rule. Although a Platonist, T. took the or…

(Ἰάμβλιχος; Iámblichos). Personal name (regarding the form cf. [1]). [German version] [1] Syro-Arab ruler, middle of 1st cent. BC I., Syro-Arab ruler, probably identical with Phylarchus I of Arethusa and Emesa who was mentioned by Cicero (Fam. 15,1; 2). He was executed in 31 BC outside Actium in the army of Anthony. In AD 20 Augustus returned Emesa to his homonymous son (Cass. Dio 50,13,7; 51,2,2; cf. Str. 16,753). Gundel, Hans Georg (Gießen) Bibliography 1 Schürer 1, 234f., 25. [German version] [2] Neoplatonist, 3rd/4th cent. AD Neoplatonist of the 3rd/4th cents. AD Brisson, Luc (Pa…

(Ὀλυμπιόδωρος; Olympiódōros). [German version] [1] Athenian politician (end of the 4th cent. BC) Athenian, managed between 307 and 301 BC to induce Aetolia to enter into an alliance against Cassander and to relieve Elatea (Paus. 1,26,3; 10,18,7; 34,3). Although Demetrius [2] Poliorketes twice illegally appointed him (in 294/3 and 293/2) as eponymous árchōn (Dion. Hal. De Dinarcho 9; IG II2 378 = [1. D 70]; IG II2 389 and SEG 21,354; IG II2 649 = [2. 7f.]; Agora 16, 167; [3. 124 No. 9]; cf. in general Plut. Demetrius 34), O., when Athens seceded from Demetrius in 2…

[German version] (Νεμέσιος/ Nemésios). Bishop of Emesa (present-day Homs) in Syria, possibly identical with the governor of Cappadocia, to whom in AD 385 Gregorius [3] of Nazianzus sent three letters and a poem inviting him to convert to Christianity. Around 400 Nemesius wrote his work ‘On the Nature of Mankind (Περὶ φύσεως ἀνθρώπου/ Perì phúseōs anthrṓpou), in which for the first time he describes anthropology from an explicitly Christian viewpoint. The title is borrowed from a Hippocratic text; the work itself appears to have remained uncompleted…

[German version] I Greek (Θεόδωρος; Theódōros). [German version] [I 1] Of Samos, Greek architect, bronze sculptor and inventor, Archaic period Multitalented Greek inventor, architect, bronze sculptor and metal worker ( toreutḗs; Toreutics) of the Archaic period from Samos (for the occupational image cf. architect). His father was Telecles (Hdt. 3,41; Paus. 8,14,8; 10,38,6) or according to other sources (Diog. Laert. 2,103; Diod. Sic. 1,98) Rhoecus [3]; his name is so frequently mentioned in conjunction with the latter that …

[German version] (Πρισκιανός Λυδός/ Priskianós Lydós). Neoplatonist of the 6th cent. AD, from Lydia. According to Agathias (II 30-31 = Suda, s. v. Πρέσβεις, Vol. 4, p. 192,18-29 Adler), P. was part of the group of philosophers who (along with Simplicius and Damascius) adhered to the old religion and sought refuge at the court of the Persian king Chosroes [5] I when the emperor Justinian [1] closed the Academy in Athens in 529. It was not long before their hopes in that regard proved to be illusory, a…

(Ἡγίας; Hēgías). [German version] [1] Sculptor, c. 490-480 BC Sculptor who signed the base of a lost bronze statue on the Acropolis in Athens that must be dated around 490-480 BC. He is mentioned by Pausanias (8,42,10), Pliny (HN 34,49) and Dio Chrysostom (55,1) as a late archaic artist, a contemporary of  Critius and Nesiotes,  Onatas,  Ageladas and  Calon, and as a teacher of  Phidias. Quintilian (Inst. 12,10,7) and Lucian (Rhetorum praeceptor 9) describe his style as still archaic and call him by his …