Search

(Νικόστρατος; Nikóstratos). [German version] [1] Son of Menelaus [1] and Helen Son of Menelaus [1] and Helen [1]. According to  Hom. Il. 3,175 and Hom. Od. 4,12, Menelaus and Helen had only a daughter (Hermione, cf. Eur. Andr. 898; Lycoph. 851), but in another tradition they also had a son (Hes. Fr. 175,2 M.-W.; Soph. El. 539). Later authors tried to resolve this discrepancy by making N. the son of a slave (Paus. 2,18,6). In Amyclae, N. and Megapenthes [2] were portrayed on horseback, as a counterpart to t…

[German version] (Νιγρῖνος/ Nigrînos). Middle Platonist philosopher of the 2nd cent. AD, known only from a text of the same name by Lucianus [1], who depicted him as a teacher working in Rome. He attributed to him a lecture full of anecdotes about the exemplary, peaceful life of the Athenians in contrast to the dissipated, noisy hustle and bustle of life in Rome; certainly this lecture tends to be more akin to the thought of the Cynics than the Platonists. It is disputed whether N.'s existence is l…

(Ἱέραξ; Hiérax). [German version] [1] H. of Antiochia, strategos of Ptolemy VI after 146 BC H. of Antiochia, deserted Demetrius [7] I for Alexander [13] Balas (Diod. Sic. 33,3), and then deserted him in 146 BC for Ptolemy VI, whom he had proclaimed king by the Antiochenes (Diod. Sic. 32,9 c). He had a high position at the court and, as strategos (?) of Ptolemy VIII, he foiled the uprising of  Galestes, but then was eliminated by the king (Diod. Sic. 33,22; FGrH 87 F 4). PP 1/8,264; 2, 2163; 6, 17012. Ameling, Walter (Jena) [German version] [2] Commander in chief of Ptolemy IX in 88 BC Sent by Ptolemy…

(Ἀμώνιος; Ammónios). [German version] [1] Favourite of  Alexander [II 13] I (Balas), middle of the 2nd cent. BC Favourite of  Alexander [II 13] I (Balas); ruled in his place in Syria, executed relatives and followers of (the deceased) Demetrius I and oppressed the Antiochenes. When he attempted an attack on Ptolemy VI, certainly Alexander's most important supporter, and Ptolemy demanded that A. be handed over, Alexander actually declined to do this, so Ptolemy broke with Alexander: despite dressing as a woman, A…

(Ὠριγένης/ Ōrigénēs). [German version] [1] Platonic philosopher, 3rd cent. AD Platonic philosopher of the 3rd cent. AD, not to be confused with the homonymous Christian O. [2] [1. 17ff.; 2. 404ff.]. Along with Erennius and Plotinus, he was a pupil of Ammonius [9] Saccas. O. wrote two works: On Demons and The one creator is the king (Ὅτι μόνος ποιητὴς ὁ βασιλεύς, fr. 1 and 2 Weber) [3. 92, 336f.]. Proclus conserves numerous comments of O. on the style and content of the proem of Plato's Timaeus (fr. 8-16 Weber). Since O. did not write a commentary on that dialogue, these remark…

(Θράσυλλος; Thrásyllos). [German version] [1] Athenian commander in the Peloponnesian War (also Θράσυλος; Thrásylos). From Athens, served as a hoplite in the armed forces on Samos in 411 BC and was significantly involved there in the overthrow of an oligarchic revolution (Thuc. 8,73). Together with Thrasybulus [3], he organized the resistance against the oligarchs in Athens ( tetrakósioi [2]) and, through an oath, obliged the Athenian forces and the Samians to defend their democracy and continue the war (Thuc. 8,75,2). After being elected stratēgoí (Thuc…

(Εὔδωρος; Eúdōros). [German version] [1] One of the five leaders of the Myrmidons under Achilles One of the five leaders of the  Myrmidons under Achilles. A son of Hermes and  Polymele, he was brought up by his grandfather Phylas after Polymele later married the Actorid Echecles. His aptitude for fighting, being a fast runner, is strongly emphasized (Hom. Il. 16,179-186) but apart from this, the Iliad is silent on his fate. Eust. Od. 1697,56 reports of his death at the hands of Pyraechmes at the first clash with the Trojans (cf. also Eust. Od. 1053,54). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography R. Jan…

(Δημόκριτος; Dēmókritos). [1] of Abdera Atomist philosopher, 2nd half of the 5th cent. BC [German version] A. Life and Writing D. was active in the 2nd half of the 5th cent. and one of the main representatives of ancient  Atomism, which he adopted from  Leucippus. Their respective contributions to the theory of the atom are difficult to differentiate. It is characteristic in this context that the ‘Great World Order’ (Μέγας διάκοσμος; Mégas diákosmos) listed in an index of D.'s writings (by Diog. Laert. 9,45 = 68A33 DK) was a treatise by Leucippus according to Theoph…

(Ἁρποκρατίων; Harpokratíōn). [German version] [1] Platonic philosopher from Argos Platonic philosopher from Argos, 2nd cent. AD, pupil of  Atticus, called ‘top Platonist’ (Πλατωνικῶν κορυφαῖος; Platōnikôn koryphaîos) by Proclus [1. 18]. Important was his commentary on Plato (24 bks.) [1. 28, 152, 180ff., 191, 194, 197, 206, 216f.] and his lexicon on Plato (2 bks.) [1. 28, 235]. Just as Atticus and Plutarch, H. supported the idea of the world's origin in a single (temporal) act, but, in his understanding of the  Demiour…

[German version] Platonic philosopher from Alopeconnesus or Proconnesus, known only from a note from the Suda (2,317,22ff. = [1. 44; 2. 118, fr. 2]). He wrote, in addition to other philosophical works, three books on Plato's ‘Republic. Identification with the mathematician Menaechmus [2. 546f.] can be excluded [1. 203], and it is doubtful that he is identical to Manaechmus named by Photius (Bibl. cod. 167 p. 114b 8) [3. 699f.]. Baltes, Matthias (Münster) Lakmann, Marie-Luise (Münster) Bibliography 1 Dörrie/Baltes 3, 1993 2 F. Lasserre, De Léodamas de Thasos à Philippe d'Oponte…

[German version] [1] Greek military author Greek military author, wrote the τακτικὰ Αἰλιανοῦ; Taktikà Ailianoû, a textbook addressed to Trajan, in which the tactics and structure of the Greek and specifically the Macedonian armies of the classical and Hellenistic eras are explained. A. was a theoretician without any practical experience and it is for this reason that his work appears mechanical. By his own admission (1,2), he drew on the work of many older authors (Aeneas Tacticus, Pyrrhus of Epirus, Posidoni…

[German version] (Δερκυλίδης; Derkylídēs) Philosopher from the 1st cent. BC [3. 180] or AD [4. 64]. Although nowhere described as a Platonist, he seems to have studied Plato's philosophy intensively, especially the mathematical and astronomical sections of his dialogues. Significant was his work of at least eleven volumes ‘On Plato's philosophy’, which was still being quoted by Porphyrius [1. 82ff., 296; 3. 60, 236]. The treatise ‘On the spindle and the whorl, treated in Plato's Politeia’, is perhaps part of that work [3. 44, 202f., 236]. Proclus transmits two comm…

(Πτολεμαῖος/ Ptolemaîos). Personal name meaning 'warlike' (not 'hostile'), first recorded in Hom. Il. 4,228; the name occurred in Macedonia in the 5th and 4th cents. BC, from where it spread to Thessaly, still in the 4th cent. (IG IX 2, 598). It became prominent with the Lagid dynasty, and became common, not only in Egypt, where it may at first have indicated solidarity with the dynasty, but also elsewhere. It underwent many deformations and transmutations. Ptolemies Famous persons: P. [1] I Soter, P. [6] III Euergetes; P. [22], the son of Caesar; the scientist Claudius P. [65]. Ameling, Wa…

[German version] [1] Southern Anatolian coastal mountain range Southern Anatolian coastal mountain range, today the Toros Dağları; it extends from Caria and Lycia in the west (Western T. with the Bey Dağları, 3086 m), through Cilicia (Middle T. with the Kalı Dağ, 3734 m), from where the Amanus branches off to the south-east and the Anti-T. to the north, while the main range stretches north-east to the Ararat highlands (Inner and Central Eastern T. with Ararat, 5165 m), beyond which a further Anti-T. (Ou…

(Λούκιος; Loúkios) [German version] [1] L. Kathegetes Author of pharmacological texts, 1st cent. AD Author of pharmacological texts, active in the middle to the end of the 1st cent. AD. Galen (De compositione medicamentum secundum genera 13,295 K.), quoting from Andromachus [5] the Younger, records a remedy against diarrhoea by L. of Tarsus, a city with a long pharmacological tradition (cf. also 13,292 K., where the name of the city is not mentioned). He is almost certainly to be identified with the more fa…

[German version] [I] (Γάϊος; Gáïos). Platonic philosopher of the early 2nd cent. AD. The physician  Galen studied with two of his students [3. 34f.]. No works are extant. His commentary on the myth of  Er [1. 18, 205] and his comments on Plato's dual teaching methods [1. 213; 2.98, 357ff.] were most likely part of (lost) lecture notes taken by his student  Albinus [1. 28, 182ff.]. He was held in high regard particularly by Plotinus, Porphyrius, and Priscian; Proclus saw him as one of the great autho…

(Δημόκριτος). [1] von Abdera Philosoph, Atomist, 2. H. 5. Jh. v. Chr. [English version] A. Leben und Schriften D. wirkte in der 2. H. des 5. Jh. und war einer der Hauptvertreter des antiken Atomismus, den er von Leukippos übernommen hatte. Die jeweiligen Beiträge der beiden Philosophen zur Atomtheorie sind nur schwer auseinanderzuhalten. Bezeichnend ist in diesem Zusammenhang, daß die im Verzeichnis von D.' Schriften (bei Diog. Laert. 9,45 = 68A33 DK) aufgelistete ‘Große Weltordnung’ (Μέγας διάκοσμος) Theophrast …

[English version] [1] Günstling von Alexandros [II 13] I. (Balas) (Mitte 2. Jh. v. Chr.) Günstling von Alexandros [II 13] I. (Balas); herrschte an dessen Stelle in Syrien, ließ Verwandte und Anhänger des (toten) Demetrios I. umbringen und unterdrückte die Antiochener. Als er einen Anschlag auf Alexandros' wohl wichtigsten Förderer, Ptolemaios VI., versucht hatte und dieser seine Auslieferung forderte, Alexandros sie jedoch verweigerte, brach Ptolemaios mit Alexandros: Trotz seiner Verkleidung als Frau wurde A.…

[English version] aus Alopekonnesos oder Prokonnesos, platonischer Philosoph, bekannt lediglich aus einer Notiz der Suda (2,317,22ff. = [1. 44; 2. 118, fr. 2]). Er schrieb neben anderen philos. Werken auch drei B. zu Platons ‘Staat. Eine Identifizierung mit dem Mathematiker Menaichmos [2. 546f.] ist auszuschließen [1. 203], eine Gleichsetzung mit dem von Photios (Bibl. cod. 167 p. 114b 8) genannten Menaichmos fraglich [3. 699f.]. Baltes, Matthias (Münster) Lakmann, Marie-Luise (Münster) Bibliography 1 Dörrie/Baltes 3, 1993 2 F. Lasserre, De Léodamas de Thasos à Ph…

(Πτολεμαῖος). PN mit der Bed. “kriegerisch” (nicht: “feindlich”), zum ersten Mal in Hom. Il. 4,228 belegt; im 5. und 4. Jh. v. Chr. kommt der Name in Makedonien vor, von wo er noch im 4. Jh. nach Thessalien gelangte (IG IX 2, 598). Der Name wird mit der Dyn. der Lagiden prominent und viel getragen, nicht nur in Äg., wo er anfangs vielleicht die Solidarität mit der Dyn. dokumentierte, sondern auch anderswo. Es gibt zahlreiche Verformungen und Umbildungen. Ptolemaier Berühmte Personen: P. [1] I. Soter, P. [6] III. Euergetes; der Sohn Caesars P. [22]; der Naturwissenschaftl…