Εμφανίζονται 44 τίτλοι με αναζήτηση: Βιογραφίες στην ευρύτερη περιοχή: "ΑΚΤΗ ΕΥΞΕΙΝΟΥ ΠΟΝΤΟΥ Περιφέρεια ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ" .
Strabo, (Strabon). A celebrated geographer, a native of Amasia
in Pontus. The date of his birth is unknown, but may perhaps be placed about B.C.
63. He lived during the whole of the reign of Augustus, and during the early part,
at least, of the reign of Tiberius. He is supposed to have died after A.D. 21.
He received a careful education. He studied grammar under Aristodemus at Nysa
in Caria, and philosophy under Xenarchus of Seleucia in Cilicia and Boethus of
Sidon. He lived some years at Rome, and also travelled much in various countries.
We learn from his own work that he was with his friend ?lius Gallus in Egypt in
B.C. 24. He wrote an historical work (Historika Hupomnemata) in forty-three books,
which is lost. It began where the history of Polybius ended, and was probably
continued to the battle of Actium. He also wrote the work on Geography (Geographika),
in seventeen books, which has come down to us entire, with the exception of the
seventh, of which we have only a meagre epitome.
Strabo's work, according to his own expression, was not intended
for the use of all persons. It was designed for all who had had a good education,
and particularly for those who were engaged in the higher departments of administration.
Consistently with this view, his plan does not comprehend minute description,
except when the place or the object is of great interest or importance; nor is
his description limited to the physical characteristics of each country; it comprehends
the important political events of which each country has been the theatre, a notice
of the chief cities and the great men who made them illustrious; in short, whatever
was most characteristic and interesting in every country. His work forms a striking
contrast with the geography of Ptolemy, and the dry list of names, occasionally
relieved by something added to them, in the geographical portion of the Historia
Naturalis of Pliny. It is, in short, a book intended for reading, and it may be
read; a kind of historical geography. Strabo's language is generally clear, except
in very technical passages and in those where the text has been corrupted; it
is appropriate to the matter, simple, and without affectation. The first two books
of Strabo are an introduction to his Geography, and contain his views on the form
and magnitude of the earth, and other subjects connected with mathematical geography.
In the third book he begins his description: he devotes eight books to Europe,
six to Asia, and the seventeenth and last to Egypt and Libya.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Strabo studied in Rome
and Alexandria and became
a geographer and historian. A 17-volume work called “Geography” described
all the parts of the known world.
As a historian Strabo recorded the final collapse of the Roman republic
and the creation of the Roman empire.
This text is cited July 2003 from the Hyperhistory Online URL below.
Strabo was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher. Nowadays, Strabo is
mostly famous for his Geographia, a 17-book work containing history and descriptions
of people and places all over the (known) world.
Strabo was born in Amaseia (current-day Amasya) in Pontus
from a rich family. He studied under various geographers and philosophers, first
in his own area, later in Rome.
He was philosophically a stoicist, politically a proponent of Roman imperialism.
Later he made extensive travels to among others Egypt
and Ethiopia. It is not known
when he wrote his Geographia; some place it around 7 AD, others around 18 AD.
We know nothing of his father's family, but several of his mother's relatives
held important posts under Mithridates V. and VI. He studied at Nysa
under the grammarian. Aristodemus, under Tyrannio the grammarian at Rome,
under the philosopher Xenarchus either at Rome
or at Alexandria, and he
had studied Aristotle along with Boethus. He also tells us that he was at Gyaros
(one of the Cyclades) when
Augustus was at Corinth on
his return to Rome from the
East in 29 B.C., and that he accompanied the prefect of Egypt,
Aelius Gallus, on his expedlition to Upper Egypt,
which seems to have taken place in 25 - 24 B.C. These are the only dates in his
life which can be accurately fixed.
Although he had seen a comparatively small portion of the regions
which he describes, he had travelled much. As he states himself: “Westward
I have journeyed to the parts of Etruria
opposite Sardinia; towards
the south from the Euxine
to the borders of Ethiopia;
and perhaps not one of those who have, written geographies has visited more places
than I have between those limits.” He tells us that he had seen Egypt
as far south as Syene and
Philae, Comana in Cappadocia,
Ephesus, Mylasa,
Nysa and Hierapolis
in Phrygia, Gyarus
and Populonia. Of Greece
proper he saw but little; it is by no means certain that he even visited Athens,
and though he describes Corinth
as an eyewitness, it is clear that he was never at Delphi
and was not aware that the ruins of Mycenae
still existed. He had seen Cyrene
from the sea, probably on his voyage from Puteoli to Alexandria,
where he remained a long time, probably amassing materials, and studying astronomy
and mathematics. For nowhere could he have had a better means of consulting the
works of historians, geographers and astronomers, such as Eratosthenes, Posidonius,
Hipparchus and Apollodorus.
Works
His earliest writing was an historical work now lost, which
he himself describes as his Historical Memoirs, The Geographia is the most important
work on that science which Antiquity has left us. It was, as far as we know, the
first attempt to collect all the geographical knowledge at the time attainable,
and to compose a general treatise on geography. It is not merely a new edition
of Eratosthenes. In general outline it follows necessarily the work of the last-named
geographer, who had first laid down a scientific basis for geography. Strabo made
considerable alterations, but not always for the better. The three books of the
older work formed a strictly technical geographical treatise. Its small size prevented
it from containing any such general description of separate countries as Strabo
rightly conceived to fall within the scope of the geographer. The incidental historical
notices, which are often of great value and interest, are all his own. These digressions
at times interrupt the symmetry of his plan; but Strabo had all the Greek love
of legendary lore.
He regarded Homer as the source of all wisdom and knowledge - indeed,
his description of Greece is largely drawn from Apollodorus's commentary on the
Homeric “Catalogue of Ships”. Strabo chiefly employed Greek authorities
(the Alexandrian geographers Polybius, Posidonius and Theophanes of Mytilene,
the companion of Pompey) and made comparatively little use of Roman authorities.
He designed his Geographia as a sequel to his historical writings, and it had
as it were grown out of his historical materials, which were chiefly Greek. He
designed the work for the statesman rather than for the student. He therefore
endeavours to give a general sketch of the character, physical peculiarities and
natural productions of each country, and consequently gives us much valuable information
respecting ethnology, trade and metallurgy. It was almost necessary that he should
select what he thought most important for description, and at times omit what
we deem of more importance. With respect to physical geography; his work is a
great advance on all preceding ones.
The work consists of seventeen books, of which the seventh is imperfect.
The first two are introductory, the next eight deal with Europe (two being devoted
to Spain and Gaul, two to
Italy and Sicily,
one to the north and east of Europe, and three to Greek lands). The eleventh book
treats of the main divisions of Asia and the more easterly districts, the next
three of Asia Minor. Book
xv. deals with India and
Persia, book xvi. with Assyria,
Babylonia, Syria and Arabia,
and the closing book (xvii) with Egypt
and Africa.
This extract is cited July 2003 from the Malaspina Great Books URL below.
Born in Pontus (today's Turkey),
Strabo was to join the Roman prefect of Egypt,
Aelius Gallus, and later also travelled from Armenia
to Sardinia, and from the
Black Sea to Ethiopia.
In the work Geography, which consisted of 17 books, he described
the world in a very dry, but clear way. He dismissed the seafarer Pytheas as a
hoax, and gives many details of the then known world.
This text is cited Sept 2003 from the In2Greece URL below.
ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Marcianus of Heracleia in Pontus, a Greek geographer, lived after Ptolemy, whom
he frequently quotes, and before Stephanus of Byzantium, who refers to him, but
his exact date is uncertain. If he is the same Marcianus as the one mentioned
by Synesius (Ep. 103) and Socrates (H. E. iv. 9), he must have lived at the beginning
of the fifth century of the Christian era. He wrote a work in prose, entitled,
Periplous tes echo dalasses heoiou te kai hesperiou kai ton en auti megiston neson
"A Periplus of the External Sea. both eastern and western, and of the largest
islands in it." The External Sea he used in opposition to the Mediterranean, which
he says had been sufficiently described by Artemiodorus. This work was in two
books; of which the former, on the eastern and southern seas, has come down to
us entire, but of the latter, which treated of the western and northern seas,
we possess only the three last chapters on Africa, and a mutilated one on the
distance from Rome to the principal cities in the world. In this work he chiefly
follows Ptolemy, and in the calculation of the stadia he adopts the reckoning
of Protagoras. He also made an epitome of the eleven books of the Periplous of
Artemiodorus of Ephesus. but of this epitome we have only the introduction, and
the periplus of Pontus, Bithynia, and Paphlagonia. It was not, however, simply
an abridgment of Artemiodorus for Marcianus tells us that he made use of the works
of other distinguished geographers, who had written descriptions of coasts. among
whom lie mentions Timosthenes of Rhodes, Eratosthenes, Pytheas of Massilia, Isidorus
of Charax, Sosander the pilot, Simmias, Apellas of Cyrene, Euthymenes of Massilia,
Phileas of Athens, Androsthenes of Thasus, Cleon of Sicily, Eudoxus of Rhodes,
Hanno of Carthage, Scylax of Caryanda and Botthaeus; but he says that he followed
more particularly Artemiodorus, Strabo, and Menippus of Pergamus. Marcianus also
published an edition of Menippus with additions and corrections.
The extant works of Marcianus were first published by D. Hoeschelius
in his "Geographica," August. Vindel. 1600, 8vo., then by Morell, Paris, 1602,
8vo., and subsequently by Hudson, in the first volume of his "Geographi Graeci
Minores," Oxon. 1698, and by Miller, Paris, 1839, 8vo. They have been also published
separately by Hoffmann, " Marciani Periplus, Menippi Peripli Fragm. &c.," Lips.
1841, 8vo. (Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iv. p. 613, &c.; Dodwell, de Aetate et scriptis
Marciani, in Hudson, l. c.; Ukert, Geographie der Griechen und Rοmer, vol. i.
pars i. p. 235 ; Forbiger, Handbuch der alten Geographie, vol. i. p. 448.)
This text is from: A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) (eds. William Smith, LLD, William Wayte, G. E. Marindin). Cited Oct 2006 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ΒΙΘΥΝΙΟΝ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Από τη Βιθυνία, αγαπητός του Αδριανού, ιδρύθηκε πόλη στην Αίγυπτο με το όνομά του (Αντινοόυπολις). (βλ. Perseus Encyclopedia)
Antinous. A youth of extraordinary beauty, born at Claudiopolis in Bithynia, was the favourite of the emperor Hadrian, and his companion in all his journeys. He was drowned in the Nile, A.D. 122. The grief of the emperor knew no bounds. He enrolled Antinous among the gods, caused a temple to be erected to him at Mantinea, and founded the city of Antinoopolis in honour of him. Beautiful statues and busts of him still exist.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Dec 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Antinous, a youth, probably of low origin, born at Bithynium or Claudiopolis in
Bithynia. On account of his extraordinary beauty he was taken by the emperor Hadrian
to be his page, and soon became the object of his extravagant affection. Hadrian
took him with him on all his journeys. It was in the course of one of these that
he was drowned in the Nile. It is uncertain whether his death was accidental,
or whether he threw himself into the river, either from disgust at the life he
led. or from a superstitious belief that by so doing he should avert some calamity
from the emperor. Dion Cassius favours the latter supposition. The grief of the
emperor knew no bounds. He strove to perpetuate the memory of his favourite by
monuments of all kinds. He rebuilt the city of Besa in the Thebais, near which
Antinous was drowned, and gave it the name of Antinoopolis. He enrolled Antinous
amongst the gods, caused temples to be erected to him in Egypt and Greece (at
Mantineia), and statues of him to be set up in almost every part of the wo rld.
In one of the sanctuaries dedicated to him oracles were delivered in his name.
Games were also celebrated in his honour. (Dict. of Ant. s. v. Antinoeia.) A star
between the eagle and the zodiac, which the courtiers of the emperor pretended
had then first made its appearance, and was the soul of Antinous, received his
name, which it still bears. A large number of works of art of all kinds were executed
in his honour, and many of them are still extant. They have been diffusely described
and classified by Konrad Levezow in his treatise Ueber den Antinous dargestellt
in den Kunstdenkmalern des Alterthums. The death of Antinous, which took place
probably in A. D. 122, seems to have formed an era in the history of ancient art.
(Dion Cass. lxix. 11; Spartian. Hadrian. 14; Paus. viii. 9.4.)
There were various medals struck in honour of Antinous in the Greek
cities, but none at Rome or in any of the Roman colonies. In one, which was struck
at Bithynium, the birthplace of Hadrian, the inscription is E PATRIS ANTINOON
THEON, that is, "His native country (reverences) the god Antinous". The inscription
on the reverse is nearly effaced on the medal from which the drawing was made:
it was originally ADRIANON BITHUNIEON. On it Mercury is represented with a bull
by his side, which probably has reference to Apis (Eckhel, vi. p. 528, &c.).
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Laodice, wife and sister of Mithridates Eupator (commonly called the Great), king of Pontus. During the absence of her husband, and deceived by a report of his death, she gave free scope to her amours; and, alarmed for the consequences, on his return attempted his life by poison. Her designs were, however, betrayed to Mithridates, who immediately put her to death. (Justin. xxxvii. 3.)
ΣΙΝΩΠΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Mithridates VI., king of Pontus (120-63), surnamed Eupator,
also Dionysus, but more commonly "the Great," was the son and successor
of the preceding, and was only eleven years old at the period of his accession.
We have very imperfect information concerning the earlier years of his reign,
and much of what has been transmitted wears a suspicious aspect. It is said that
immediately on ascending the throne he found himself assailed by the designs of
his guardians, but that he succeeded in eluding all their machinations, partly
by displaying a courage and address in warlike exercises beyond his years, partly
by the use of antidotes against poison, to which he began thus early to accustom
himself. In order to evade the designs formed against his life, he also devoted
much of his time to hunting, and took refuge in the remotest and most unfrequented
regions, under pretence of pursuing the pleasures of the chase. Whatever truth
there may be in these accounts, it is certain that when he attained to manhood
he was not only endowed with consummate skill in all martial exercises, and possessed
of a bodily frame inured to all hardships as well as a spirit to brave every danger,
but his naturally vigorous intellect had been improved by careful culture. As
a boy, he had been brought up at Sinope, where he had probably received the elements
of a Greek education; and so powerful was his memory that he is said to have learned
not less than twenty-two languages, and to have been able in the days of his greatest
power to transact business with the deputies of every tribe subject to his rule
in their own peculiar dialect.
The first steps of his career were marked by blood. He is said
to have murdered his mother, to whom a share in the royal authority had been left
by Mithridates Euergetes; and this was followed by the assassination of his brother.
In the early part of his reign he subdued the barbarian tribes between the Euxine
and the confines of Armenia, including the whole of Colchis and the province called
Lesser Armenia, and even extended his conquests beyond the Caucasus. He assisted
Parisades, king of the Bosporus, against the Sarmatians and Roxolani, and rendered
the whole of the Tauric Chersonesus tributary to his kingdom. After the death
of Parisades the kingdom of Bosporus itself was incorporated with his dominions.
He was now in possession of such great power that he began to deem himself equal
to a contest with Rome itself. Many causes of dissension had already arisen between
them, but Mithridates had hitherto submitted to the mandates of Rome. Even after
expelling Ariobarzanes from Cappadocia and Nicomedes from Bithynia in 90, he offered
no resistance to the Romans when they restored these monarchs to their kingdom.
But when Nicomedes, urged by the Roman legates, invaded the territories of Mithridates,
the latter made preparations for immediate hostilities. His success was rapid
and striking. In 88 he drove Ariobarzanes out of Cappadocia and Nicomedes out
of Bithynia, defeated the Roman generals who had supported the latter, made himself
master of Phrygia and Galatia, and at last of the Roman province of Asia. During
the winter he issued the sanguinary order to all the cities of Asia to put to
death, on the same day, all the Roman and Italian citizens who were to be found
within their walls. So hateful had the Romans rendered themselves, that these
commands were obeyed with alacrity by almost all the cities of Asia, and eighty
thousand Romans and Italians are said to have perished in this fearful massacre.
Meantime Sulla had received the command of the war against Mithridates, and crossed
over into Greece in 87. Mithridates, however, had resolved not to await the Romans
in Asia, but had already sent his general Archelaus into Greece at the head of
a powerful army. The war proved unfavourable to the king. Archelaus was twice
defeated by Sulla with immense loss near Chaeronea, and Orchomenus in Boeotia
(86). About the same time Mithridates was himself defeated in Asia by Fimbria.
These disasters led him to sue for peace, which Sulla was willing to grant, because
he was anxious to return to Italy, which was entirely in the hands of his enemies.
Mithridates consented to abandon all his conquests in Asia, to pay a sum of two
thousand talents, and to surrender to the Romans a fleet of seventy ships. Thus
terminated the First Mithridatic War (84). Shortly afterwards Murena, who had
been left in command of Asia by Sulla , invaded the dominions of Mithridates (83)
under the pretext that the king had not yet evacuated the whole of Cappadocia.
In the following year (82) Murena renewed his hostile incursions, but was defeated
by Mithridates on the banks of the river Halys. But shortly afterwards Murena
received peremptory orders from Sulla to desist from hostilities, in consequence
of which peace was again restored. This is usually called the Second Mithridatic
War. Mithridates, however, was well aware that the peace between him and Rome
was in fact a mere suspension of hostilities, and that the Republic would never
suffer the massacre of her citizens in Asia to remain ultimately unpunished. No
formal treaty was ever concluded between Mithridates and the Roman Senate; and
the king had in vain endeavoured to obtain the ratification of the terms agreed
on between him and Sulla.
The death of Nicomedes III., king of Bithynia, at the beginning
of 74, brought matters to a crisis. That monarch left his dominions by will to
the Roman people; and Bithynia was accordingly declared a Roman province; but
Mithridates asserted that the late king had left a legitimate son by his wife
Nysa, whose pretensions he immediately prepared to support by his arms. He had
employed the last few years in forming a powerful army, armed and disciplined
in the Roman manner; and he now took the field with one hundred and twenty thousand
foot soldiers, sixteen thousand horse, and a vast number of barbarian auxiliaries.
This was the commencement of the Third Mithridatic War. The two Roman consuls,
Lucullus and Cotta , were unable to oppose his first irruption. He traversed Bithynia
without encountering any resistance, and when at length Cotta ventured to give
him battle under the walls of Chalcedon, the consul was totally defeated both
by sea and land. Mithridates then proceeded to lay siege to Cyzicus both by sea
and land. Lucullus marched to the relief of the city, cut off the king's supplies,
and eventually compelled him to raise the siege early in 73. On his retreat Mithridates
suffered great loss, and eventually took refuge in Pontus. Hither Lucullus followed
him in the next year. The new army which the king had collected was entirely defeated
by the Roman general; and Mithridates, despairing of opposing the further progress
of Lucullus, took refuge in the dominions of his son-in-law Tigranes, the king
of Armenia. Tigranes at first showed no disposition to attempt the restoration
of his father-in-law; but being offended at the haughty conduct of Appius Claudius,
whom Lucullus had sent to demand the surrender of Mithridates, the Armenian king
not only refused this request, but determined to prepare for war with the Romans.
Accordingly, in 69, Lucullus marched into Armenia, defeated Tigranes and Mithridates
near Tigranocerta, and in the next year (68) again defeated the allied monarchs
near Artaxata. The Roman general then turned aside into Mesopotamia, and laid
siege to Nisibis. Here the Roman soldiers broke out into open mutiny, and demanded
to be led home; and Lucullus was obliged to raise the siege, and return to Asia
Minor. Meanwhile Mithridates had taken advantage of the absence of Lucullus to
invade Pontus at the head of a large army. He defeated Fabius and Triarius, to
whom the defence of Pontus had been committed; and when Lucullus returned to Pontus,
he was unable to resume the offensive in consequence of the mutinous spirit of
his own soldiers. Mithridates was thus able, before the close of 67, to regain
possession of the greater part of his hereditary dominions. In the following year
(66) the conduct of the war was intrusted to Pompey. Hostilities were resumed
with greater vigour than ever. Mithridates was obliged to retire before the Romans;
he was surprised and defeated by Pompey; and as Tigranes now refused to admit
him into his own dominions, he resolved to plunge with his small army into the
heart of Colchis, and thence make his way to the Palus Maeotis and the Cimmerian
Bosporus. Arduous as this enterprise appeared, it was successfully accomplished;
and he at length established himself without opposition at Panticapaeum, the capital
of Bosporus. He had now nothing to fear from the pursuit of Pompey, who turned
his arms first against Tigranes, and afterwards against Syria. Unable to obtain
peace from Pompey, unless he would come in person to make his submission, Mithridates
conceived the daring project of marching round the northern and western coasts
of the Euxine, through the wild tribes of the Sarmatians and Getae, and, having
gathered round his standard all these barbarous nations, to penetrate into Italy
itself. But meanwhile disaffection had made rapid progress among his followers.
His son Pharnaces at length openly rebelled against him. He was joined both by
the whole army and the citizens of Panticapaeum, who unanimously proclaimed him
king; and Mithridates, who had taken refuge in a strong tower, saw that no choice
remained to him but death or captivity. Hereupon he took poison, which he constantly
carried with him; but his constitution had been so long inured to antidotes that
it did not produce the desired effect, and he was compelled to call in the assistance
of one of his Gaulish mercenaries to dispatch him with his sword. He died in 63.
His body was sent by Pharnaces to Pompey at Amisus, as a token of his submission;
but the conqueror caused it to be interred with regal honours in the sepulchre
of his forefathers at Sinope. He was sixty-eight or sixty-nine years old at the
time of his death, and had reigned fifty-seven years, of which twenty-five had
been occupied, with only a few brief intervals, in one continued struggle against
the Roman power. The estimation in which he was held by his adversaries is the
strongest testimony to his great abilities: Cicero calls him the greatest of all
kings after Alexander, and in another passage says that he was a more formidable
opponent than any other monarch whom the Roman arms had yet encountered.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Μιθριδάτης ΣΤ' ο Ευπάτωρ : Γεννήθηκε και ανατράφηκε στην πόλη την οποία κατέστησε πρωτεύουσα του Πόντου. (βλ. Perseus Encyclopedia)
ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Gregoras, Nicephorus, (Nikephopos ho Gregoras), one of the most important Byzantine
historians, was probably born in 1295, in the town of Heralcleia Pontica, in Asia
Minor. While he lived in his native town, his education was conducted by John,
archbishop of Heracleia, but, having been sent to Constantinople, he was placed
under the care of John Glycis, patriarch of Constantinople. He learned mathematics
and astronomy from Theodorus Metochita, the writer. At an early age Gregoras,
who had taken orders, became acquainted with the emperor Andronicus I., the elder,
who took a great fancy to him, and offered him the important place of Chartophylax,
or keeper of the imperial archives, but the modest young priest declined the office,
on the plea of youth. He afterwards, however, accepted several offices of importance,
and in 1326 was sent as ambassador to the Kral, that is, the king of Servia. Gregoras
was still very young, when he became celebrated for his learning. A dispute having
arisen as to the day on which Easter was to be celebrated, Gregoras, in an excellent
dissertation, proved that the system then adopted for computing that day was erroneous,
and proposed another method. If it had not been for the fear which the clergy
entertained of exciting the superstitious mob of Constantinople by a reform of
the calendar, the computation of Gregoras would have been adopted by the Greek
church. When pope Gregory XIII., 300 years afterwards, reformed the calendar,
it ws found that the computation of Gregoras was qite right: the treatise which
he wrote on the subject is still extant, and highly appreciated by astronomers.
Being a staunch adherent of the elder Andronicus, Gregoras was involved in the
fate of this unfortunate emperor, when he was deposed, in 1328, by his grandson,
Andronicus III., the younger, who punished the learned favourite of his grandfather
by confiscating his property. For a few years after that event Gregoras led a
retired life, only appearing in public for the purpose of delivering lectures
on various subjects, which were crowned wich extraordinary success. The violence
of his language, however, caused him many enemies. In 1332 he pronounced funeral
orations on the emperor Andronicus the elder, and the Magnus Logotheta, Theodorus
Metochita, mentioned above. He opposed the union of the Greek and Latin churches
proposed by pope John XXII., who had sent commissioners for that object to Constantinople.
An excellent opportunity for exhibiting his learning and oratorical qualities
presented itself to Gregoras, when the notorious Latin monk Barlaam came over
from Calabria to Constantinople, for the purpose of exciting dissensions among
the Greek clergy. Barlaam had reason to expect complete success, when his career
was stopped short by Gregoras, who challenged the disturber to a public disputation,
in which Barlaam was so completely defeated, that, in his shame and confusion,
he retired to Thessaloneica, and never more appeared in the capital. The dissensions,
however, occasioned by Barlaam had a most injurious influence upon the peace of
the Greek church, and caused a revolution, which ended most unfortunately for
Gregoras. Gregorius Palamas, afterwards archbishop of Thessalonica, espoused the
dogmas of Barlaan he was opposed by Gregorius Acindynus, and hence arose the famous
controversy between the Palamites and Acindynites. This quarrel, like most disputes
on religious matters in the Byzantine empire, assumed a political character. Gregoras
resolved to remain neutral: his prudence ruined him, because, as his violent temper
was known, be became suspected by both parties. Palamas, having been condemned
by the synod of 1345, the victorious Acindynites were going to sacrifice Gregoras
to their suspicions, but he was protected by John Cantacuzenus, afterwards emperor,
who during a long time had professed a sincere friendship for him. A short time
afterwards the Acindvnites were condemned in their turn, and the Palamites became
the ruling party; they were joined by John Cantacuzenus, and this time Gregoras
did not escape the resentment of the victors, though his only crime was neutrality.
Abandoned by Cantacuzenus, he was imprisoned in 1351. He was afterwards released;
but his enemies, among whom his former friend Cantacuzenus was most active, rendered
him odious to the people, and when he died, in, or probably after, 1359, his remains
were insulted by the mob.
Gregoras wrote a prodigious number of works on history, divinity,
philosophy, astronomy, several panegyrics, some poems, and a considerable number
of essays on miscellaneous subjects: a list of them is given by Schopen in the
Bonn edition of the History of Gregoras, and by Fabricius, who also gives a list
of several hundred authors perused and quoted by Gregoras. The principal work
of our author is his Romaikes Historias Logoi, commonly called Historia Byzantina,
in thirty-eight books, of which, as yet, only twenty-four are printed. It begins
with the capture of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204, and goes down to 1359;
the twenty-four printed books contain the period from 1204 to 1351. The earlier
part of that period is treated with comparative brevity; but as the author approaches
his own time, he enters more into detail, and is often diffuse. This history ought
to be read together with that of John Cantacuzenus: they were at first friends,
but afterwards enemies, and each of them charges the other with falsehood and
calumnies. Each of them represents events according to his own views, and their
exaggerated praises of their partizans deserve as little credit as their violent
attacks of their enemies. Gregoras was more learned than John Cantacuzenus, but
the latter was better able to pass a judgment upon great historical facts. One
cannot help smiling at seeing Gregoras, who was ambitious of nothing more than
the name of a great philosopher, forget all impartiality and moderation as soon
as the presumed interest of his party is at stake: his philosophy was in his head,
not in his heart. His style is, generally speaking, bombastic, diffuse, full of
repetitions of facts as well as of favourite expressions: he is fond of narrating
matters of little importance with a sort of artificial elegance, and he cannot
inform the reader of great events without an additional display of pompous words
spun out into endless periods. Like most of his contemporaries, he mixes politics
with theology. These are his defects. We are indebted to him, however, for the
care he has taken in making posterity acquainted with an immense number of facts
referring to that period of Byzantine history when the Greek empire was still
to be saved from ruin by a cordial understanding, both in political and religious
matters, with the inhabitants of Europe.
It is said that Frederic Rostgaard published the History of Gregoras,
with a Latin translation, in 1559, but this is a mistake; at least, nobody has
seen this edition. The editio princeps is the one published by Hieronymus Wolf,
Basel, 1562, fol., with a Latin translation and an index, which, bowever, contains
only the first eleven books. Wolf was persuaded to undertake the task by Dernschwam,
a German scholar, who had travelled in the East, where he obtained a MS. of the
work. Wolf obtained another MS. in Germany, and was enabled to publish the work
by the liberality of the celebrated patron of learning and arts, Count Anthony
Fugger. He published this work, together with the Paralipomena of Nicetas, and
the Turkish history of Laonicus Chalcocondylas, with a Latin translation by Konrad
Clauser. The same edition was reprinted in the Historiae Byzantnae Descriptores
Tres, Geneva, 1615, fol. The MSS. perused by Wolf had many considerable lacunae,
or passages that could not be deciphered. The corresponding text was afterwards
found in other MSS by Petavius, who published them, together with the Breviarium
of Nicephorus the Patriarch, Paris, 1616, 8vo. The Paris edition was edited by
Boivin, two volumes, 1702, fol. The first vol. is a carefully revised reprint
of Wolf's edition, containing the first eleven books; the second vol. contains
the following thirteen books, with a Latin translation by the editor, except books
23 and 24, which were translated by Claudius Copperonerius; it contains also the
excellent notes of Du Cange to the first seventeen books. Boivin deserves great
credit for this edition. He intended to add a third volume, containing the remaining
fourteen books, and a fourth volume with commentaries, &c., but neither of them
was published. The Venice edition, 1729, fol., is a careless reprint of the Paris
edition. The Bonn edition, by Schopen, 1829-30, 2 vols. 8vo., is a careful and
revised reprint of the Paris edition. It is to be regretted that the learned editor
of this edition has not thought it advisable to publish the remaining fourteen
books also, the materials of which he would have found in very excellent condition
in Paris.
The other printed works of Gregoras are--Oratio in Obitum Theodori
Metochitae (Gr. Lat.), in Theodori Metochitae (that is, Michael Glycas) Historia
Romana, ed. Joh. Meursius, Leyden, 1618, 8vo.; Commentarii sive Scholia in Synesium
De Insomniis, in the Paris edition of Synesius, 1553, fol.; Vita Sancti Codrati
et Sociorum Martyrum, interprete Reinoldo Dehnio, in the second vol. of Acta Sanctorum;
Paschalium Correctum, To diorthothen paschalion hupo Nikephorou philosophou tou
Gregora, peri hou kai ho Arguros en tei rhetheisei methodoi dialambanei, in Petavius,
Uranologium, and in the third volume of the same author's Doctrina Temporum, the
celebrated work mentioned above; Epistola ad Theodulum Monachum, in Normann's
edition of Theodulus, Upsala, 1693, 4to. (Dissert. de Nicephoro Gregora, in Oudin,
Commentarii de Script. Eccles., vol. iii.; Boivin, Vita Nic. Greg., in the Paris
and Bonn editions of Gregoras, Hist. Byz. ; Cave, Hist. Lit., Appendix; Fabric.
Bibl. Graec. vol. vii.; Hankius, De Byz. Rer. Script.)
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Leo (Leon or Deon) Academicus, called by Justin the historian and Suidas Leonides (Deonides), was apparently a native of Heracleia in Pontus, and a disciple of Plato. He was one of the conspirators who, with their leader, Chion, in the reign of Ochus, king of Persia, B. C. 353, or, according to Orelli, B. C. 351, assassinated Clearchus, tyrant of Heracleia. The greater part of the conspirators were killed on the spot by the tyrant's guards; others were afterwards taken and put to a cruel death; but which fate befel Leo is not mentioned. Nicias of Nicaea (apud Athen.xi.), and Favorinus (Diog. Laert.iii. 37) ascribed to a certain Leo the Academic the dialogue Alcyon (Alkuon), which was, in the time of Athenaeus, by some ascribed to Plato; and has in modern times been printed among the works of Lucian, by whom it was certainly not written; and from the general character of whose writings the subject (the power of God displayed in his works) is altogether alien. Fabricius identifies the author of the Dialogue with the accomplice of Chion; but we know not on what ground. (Memnon, apud Phot. Bibl. cod. 224, sub init.; Justin. xvi. 5; Suidas, s. v. Klearchos; Athen. l. c. ; Diog. Laert. l. c. ; Lucian, Opera; Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. iii.)
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ΣΙΝΩΠΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Baton, of Sinope, a Greek rhetorician and historian, who lived subsequently
to Aratus of Sicyon. (Plut. Agis, 15.) The following works of his are mentioned
by the ancient writers: - 1. Commentaries on Persian affairs. (Persika, Strab.
xii.) 2. On the tyrants of Ephesus. (Athen. vii.; comp. Suidas, s.v. Puthagoras
Ephesios.) 3. On Thessaly and Haemonia. (Athen, xiv.) 4. On the tyranny of Hieronymus.
(Athen. vi.) 5. On the poet Ion. (Athen. x.) 6. A history of Attica. (Schol. ad
Pind. Isth. iv. 104, where Biickh reads Baton instead of Batos.)
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Diodorus, (Diodoros), of Sinope, an Athenian comic poet of the middle comedy, is mentioned in an inscription (Bockh, i.), which fixes his date at the archonship of Diotimus (B. C. 354 - 353), when he exhibited two plays, entitled Nekros and Mainomenos, Aristomachus being his actor. Suidas (s. v.) quotes Athenaeus as mentioning his Auletris in the tenth book of the Deipnosophistae, and Epikleros and Paneguristai in the twelfth book. The actual quotations made in our copies of Athenaeus are from the Auletris (x.) and a long passage from the Epikleros (vi., not xii.), but of the Paneguristai there is no mention in Athenaeus. A play under that title is ascribed to Baton or to Plato. There is another fragment from Diodorus in Stobaeus. (Serm. lxxii. 1.) In another passage of Stobaeus (Serm. cxxv. 8) the common reading, Dionusios, should be retained. (Meineke, Frag. Com. Graec. i., iii.)
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Dionysius, (Dionusios), of Sinope, an Athenian comic poet of the middle comedy. (Athen. xi., xiv.; Schol. Horn. Il. xi. 515.) He appears, from indications in the fragments of his plays, to have been younger than Archestratus, tc have flourished about the same time as Nicostratus, the son of Aristophanes, and to have lived till the establishment of the Macedonian supremacy in Greece. We have the titles and some fragments of his Akontizomenos (Ath. xiv.), which appears to have been translated by Naevius, Thesmophoros (a long passage in Athen. ix. p. 404,e.), Homonumoi (Athen. viii., xiv.), Limos (Schol. Hom. Il. xi, 515; Eustath.), Sozousa or Soteira (Athen. xi.; Stob. Serm. cxxv. 8.) Meursius and Fabricius are wrong in assigning the Taxiarchai to Dionysius. It belongs to Eupolis. (Meineke, Frag. Com. Graec. i., iii.)
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Diphilus (Diphilos). A poet of the new Attic comedy, a native of Sinope, and contemporary of Menander. He is supposed to have written some one hundred pieces, of which we have the titles and fragments of about fifty. The Casina and Rudens of Plautus are modelled on two plays of Diphilus; and Terence has adopted some scenes from one of them (the Sunapothneiskontes) in his Adelphoe. Diphilus took his subjects both from common life and from mythology. Most of the passages that have been preserved relate to matters of cookery, the longest being one of forty-one lines. Both the judgments passed on him in antiquity and his remaining fragments justify us in recognizing him as one of the most gifted poets of his age.
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Diphilus, one of the principal Athenian comic poets of the new comedy, and a contemporary
of Menander and Philemon, was a native of Sinope (Strab. xii.). He was a lover
of the courtezan Gnatbaena, and seems sometimes to have attacked her in his comedies,
when under the influence of jealousy (Machon and Lynceus Samius, ap. Athen. xiii.).
He was not, however, perfectly constant (Alciph. Ep. i. 37). He is said to have
exhibited a hundred plays (Anon.), and sometimes to have acted himself (Athen.
xiii.).
Though, in point of time, Diphilus belonged to the new comedy, his
poetry seems to have had more of the character of the middle. This is shewn, among
other indications, by the frequency with which he chooses mythological subjects
for his plays, and by his bringing on the stage the poets Archilochus, Hipponax,
and Sappho (Ath. xi., xiii.). His language is simple and elegant, but it contains
many departures from Attic purity.
The following are the plays of Diphilus, of which we have fragments
or titles: Agnoia (Ath. ix., xv.), which was also ascribed to Calliades: Adelphoi
(Ath. xi.; Poll. x. 72; Stob. Flor. cviii. 9): Aleiptria (Etym. Mag.), which was
also the title of a play of Antiphanes, by others ascribed to Alexis: Amastris
(Suid. s. v. Athenaias) : Hairesiteiches, of which there was a second edition
by Callimachus under the title of Eunouchos or Stratiotes (Ath. xi., xv.; Antiatticista):
the principal character in this play seems to have been such as Pyrgopolinices
in the Miles Gloriosus of Plautus, which was perhaps taken from the play of Diphilus:
Anaguros (Schol. Ven. ad Il. i. 123; corrupted in Etym. Magn., and Eustath.):
Anasozomenoi (Ath. xi.; Antiatt.): Aplestos (Ath. ix.): Apobates, (Harpocrat;
Antiatt.): Apolipousa, also ascribed to Sosippus, whose name is otherwise unknown
(Ath. iv.; Poll. x. 12): Balaneion (Ath. x.; Antiatt.); Boiotios (Ath. x.): Gamos
(Ath. vi.; and perhaps in Diog. Laert. ii. 120, Diphilou should be substituted
for Sophilou): Danaides (Erot. gloss. Harpoc.): Diamartanousa (Ath. iii.): Enkalountes
(Antiatt.): Ekate (Ath. xiv.; and perhaps Poll. x. 72): Helenephorountes (Ath.
vi.). Elleborizomenoi (Antiatt.): Emporos (Ath. vi., vii.; Etym. Mag.; Harpocrat.):
Enagizontes (Ath. iv.) or Enagismata (Schol. Aristoph. Eq. 960; Photius and Suidas,
s. v. Psolos): Epidikazomenos (Poll. x. 137): Epitrope, or more correctly Hepitropeus
(Antiatt.): Epikleros (Poll. x. 99): Zographos (Ath. vi., vii.; Stob. Flor. cv.
5): Herakles (Ath. x.): Heros (Ath. ix.): Thesauros (Stob. Flor. xii. 12): Theseus
(Ath. vi., x.): Kitharoidos (Poll. x. 38, 62): Kleroumenoi, of which the Casina
of Plautus is a translation (Prolog. 31): Leuiniai (Ath. vi., comp. iv.); Mainomenos
(Poll x. 18): Mnemation (Ath. iii.): Paiderastai (Ath. x.): Pallake (Etym. Mag.):
Parasitos (Ath. vi., x.): Peliades (Ath. iv.): Pithraustes, probably for Tithraustes
(Ath. xiii.): Plinthophoros (Antiatt.; and perhaps Eustath. ad Horn.): Polupragmon
(Ath. vi.; Phot. s. v. rhagdaios): Purra (Ammon. Diff. Verb.): Sappho (Ath. xi.,
xiii.): Sikelikos (Poll. ix. 81), which, however, belongs perhaps to Philemon:
Schedia (Etym. Mag., corrected by Gaisford): Sunapothneskontes, which was translated
by Plautus under the title of Commorientes, and partly followed by Terence in
his Adelphi (Terent. Prol. Adelph. 10): Suntrophroi (Harpoc.): Sunoris, of which
there were two editions (Ath. vi., xiv.; Phot. s. v. Phimoi Harpocr.): Telesias
(Ath. xiv.): Phrear (Stob. Flor. cxvi. 32): Philadelphos or Philadelphoi (Antiatt.):
Chrusochoos (Phot. s. v. opaia). There are other fragments, which cannot be assigned
to their proper places. The Rudens of Plautus is a translation of a play of Diphilus
(Prol. 32), but the title of the Greek play is not known.
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ΑΜΙΣΟΣ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
250 - 190
ΣΙΝΩΠΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Heracleides. Of Sinope: under this name we possess a Greek epigram in the Greek
Anthology (vii. 329). It is not improbable that two other epigrams (vii. 281,
465) are likewise his productions, though his native place is not mentioned there.
He seems to have been a poet of some celebrity, as Diogenes Laertius (v. 94) mentions
him as epigrammaton poietes liguros. Diogenes Laertius (l. c.) mentions fourteen
persons of this name.
ΠΟΝΤΟΣ (Αρχαία χώρα) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Στρατηγός του Μιθριδάτη ο οποίος αρχικά πολιορκούσε την Ελάτεια της Φωκίδας, στη συνέχεια όμως αντιμετώπισε τους Ρωμαίους στην περιοχή της Χαιρώνειας και νικήθηκε (Παυσ. 1,20,5-6).
Arcathias (Arkathias), a son of Mithridates, joined Neoptolemus and Archelaus, the generals of his father, with 10,000 horse, which he brought from the lesser Armenia, at the commencement of the war with the Romans, B. C. 88. He took an active part in the great battle fought near the river Amneius or Amnias (see Strab. xii. p. 562) in Paphlagonia, in which Nicomedes, the king of Bithynia, was defeated. Two years afterwards, B. C. 86, he invaded Macedonia with a separate army, and completely conquered the country. He then proceeded to march against Sulla, but died on the way at Tidaeum (Potidaea?) (Appian, Mithr. 17, 18, 35, 41).
Dorylaus (Dorulaos), a general of Mithridates, who conducted an army of 80,000 men into Greece in B. C. 86 to assist Archelaus in the war with the Romans. (Appian, Mithr. 17, 49; Plut. Sull. 20)
Leocritus, a general of Pharnaces, king of Pontus, in his war with Eumenes II. of Pergamus, was sent by his master to invade Galatia in B. C. 181. (Pol. xxv. 4.) On one occasion the garrison of Tium or Teium, a town in Paphlagonia, surrendered to him on a promise of safety, in spite of which he treacherously put the whole of it to death. (Diod. Exc. de Virt. et Vit.; comp. Pol. xxvi. 6.)
ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Herodorus, (Herodoros). A native of Heracleia, in Pontus (hence called sometimes
ho Pontikos, sometimes ho Herakleotes), who appears to have lived about the time
of Hecataeus of Miletus and Pherecydes, in the latter part of the sixth centnry
B. C. His son Bryson, the sophist, lived before the time of Plato. (Arist. Hist.
Anim. vi. 6, ix. 12.) Herodorus was the author of a work on the mythology and
worship of Heracles, which comprised at the same time a variety of historical
and geographical notices. It must have been a work of considerable extent. Athenaeus
(ix.) quotes from the 17th book of it. It is frequently referred to in the scholia
attached to the works of Pindar and Apollonius Rhodius and by Aristotle,Athenaeus,
Apollodorus, Plutarch, and others. The scholiast on Apollonius also refers to
a work by Herodorus on the Macrones, a nation of Pontus, to a work on Heraclea,
and to one on the Argonauts. (Schol. ad Apoll. i. 1024, i. 71, 773, &c.) Quotations
are also found from the Oidipous, Pelopeia, and Olumpia of Herodorus. But it is
not clear whether these were all separate works or only sections of the work on
Hercules. But the Argonautika, which is frequently quoted, was doubtless a separate
work, as also was probably the work on Heracleia; unless in the passage where
it is referred to (Schol. Apoll. ii. 815), we should read Peri Herakleons, instead
of Peri Herakleas. A mistake made by the scholiasts on Apollonius (ii. 1211),
who ascribe to Herodorus two hexameter lines from one of the Homeric hymns (Hymn.
Hom. xxxiv.) has led to the supposition that the Argonautics of Herodorus was
a poem. The character of the quotations from it points to a different conclusion.
Westermann has collected the passages in which the writings of Herodorus are quoted.
(Vossius, De Hist. Gr., ed. Westermann.)
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ΤΡΑΠΕΖΟΥΣ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Georgius, Amyrutza, or Amyrutzes, a native of Trapezus or Trebizond. He was high
in favour at Constantinople with the emperor Johannes or John II. Palaeologus,
and was one of those whom the emperor consulted about his attendance at the council
of Florence, A. D. 1439. George afterwards returned to Trebizond, and was high
in favour with David, the last emperor of Trebizond, at whose court he seems to
have borne the offices of Logotheta and Protovestiarius. His intellectual attainments
obtained for him the title of "the philosopher." On the capture of Trebizond
by the Turks (A. D. 1461), he obtained the favour of the sultan, Mohammed H.,
partly by his handsome person and his skill in the use of the javelin, but chielly
through a marriage connection with a Turkish pacha. Mohammed often conversed with
him on philosophy and religion, and gave him some considerable posts in the seraglio
at Constantinople. He embraced the Mohammedan religion, together with his children;
and his death, which occurred suddenly, while he was playing at dice, is represented
by some Christian writers as the punishment of his apostasy; from which we may
perhaps infer that it followed that event after no great interval.
He wrote in Greek, apparently in the early part of his life, at any
rate before his renunciation of Christianity, a work the title of which is rendered
into Latin by our authorities, "Ad Demetrium Nauplii Diceln de iis quae contiqerunt
in Synodo Florentina." In this he opposed the projected union of the Greek
and Latin churches. Allatius mentions this work in his De Consensue utriusque
Ecclesiae, and quotes from it. Two other works, of which the titles are thus given,
Dialogus de Fidee in Christo cum Rege Turcarum, and Epistola ad Bessarion Cardinalem,
are or were extant in MS. (Gery, Appeidix to Cave's Hist. Litt., ed. Oxon. 1740-43;
Bayle, Dictionnaire, &c., s. v. Amyrutzes.)
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ΑΜΙΣΟΣ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Callimachus, one of the generals of Mithridates, who, by his skill in engineering, defended the town of Amisus, in Pontus, for a considerable time against the Romans, in B. C. 71; and when Lucullus had succeeded in taking a portion of the wall, Callimachus set fire to the place and made his escape by sea. He afterwards fell into the hands of Lucullus at the capture of Nisibis (called by the Greeks Antioch) in Mygdonia, B. C. 68, and was put to death in revenge for the burning of Amisus. (Plut. Lucull. 19, 32; comp. Appian, Bell. Mithr. 78, 83; Dion Cass. xxxv. 7.)
ΠΟΝΤΟΣ (Αρχαία χώρα) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Fannius l. and L. Magius served in the army of the legate Flavius Fimbria, in the war against Mithridates, in B. C. 84; but they deserted and went over to Mithridates, whom they persuaded to enter into negotiations with Sertorius in Spain, through whose assistance he might obtain the sovereignty of Asia Minor and the neighbouring countries. Mithridates entered into the scheme, and sent the two deserters, in B. C. 74, to Sertorius to conclude a treaty with him. Sertorius promised Mithridates Bithynia, Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, and Gallograecia, as rewards for assisting him against the Romans. Sertorius at once sent M. Varius to serve Mithridates as general, and L. Fannius and L. Magius accompanied him as his councillors. On their advice Mithridates began his third war against the Romans. In consequence of their desertion and treachery Fannius and Magius were declared public enemies by the senate. We afterwards find Fannius commanding a detachment of the army of Mithridates against Lucullus. (Appian, Mithrid. 68; Plut. Sertor. 24; Oros. vi. 2, Cic. in Verr. i. 34)
ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΑ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Dionysius, (Dionusios), tyrant of Heracleia on the Euxine. He was a son of Clearchus,
who had assumed the tyranny in his native place, and was succeeded by his son
Timotheus. After the death of the latter, Dionysius succeeded in the tyranny,
about the time of the battle of Chaeroneia, B. C. 338. After the destruction of
the Persian empire by Alexander the Great, Dionysius attempted to extend his dominions
in Asia. In the meantime, some of the citizens of Heracleia, who had been driven
into exile by their tyrants, applied to Alexander to restore the republican government
at Heracleia, but Dionysius, with the assistance of Alexander's sister, Cleopatra,
contrived to prevent any steps being taken to that effect. But still he does not
appear to have felt very safe in his position, as we may conjecture from the extreme
delight with which he received the news of Alexander's death, in consequence of
which he erected a statue of euphumia, that is, joy or peace of mind. The exiled
Heracleans now applied to Perdiccas, against whom Dionysius endeavoured to secure
himself by joining his enemies. Dionysius therefore married Amastris, the former
wife of Craterus, who secured to him considerable advantages. A friendship with
Antigonus was formed by assisting him in his war against Asander, and Ptolemy,
the nephew of Antigonus, married Dionysius's daughter by his first wife. Dionysius
thus remained in the undisturbed possession of the tyranny for many years. In
B. C. 306, when the surviving generals of Alexander assumed the title of kings,
Dionysius followed their example, but he died soon after. He was an unusually
fat man, which increased at length to such a degree that he could take no food,
which was therefore introduced into his stomach by artificial means. At last,
however, he was choked by his own fiat. He is said to have been the mildest and
justest of all the tyrants that had ever lived. He was succeeded by his son Zathras,
and, after the death of the latter, by his second son Clearchus II. The death
of Dionysius must have taken place h B. C. 306 or 305, as, according to Diodorus,
he died at the age of 55, and after a reign of 32 years, for which others say
33 years. (Diod. xvi. 88, xx. 70; Athen. xii.; Aelian, V. H. ix. 13; Memnon, ap.
Phot. Cod. 224.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Heraclides Ponticus (fl. 4th century BC). Astronomer
Life
Heraclides was born in Heraclea on the Black Sea. He was a disciple of Plato and Aristotle, and was familiar with the work of the Pythagoreans, especially Hecphantus and Icetas. After many years spent in Athens he returned to Heraclea to found his own school. He is cited by Diogenes Laertius.
Work
Heraclides posited a mixed geo-heliocentric system, according to which the Sun, the Moon and some of the planets revolved around the Earth, while the planets Mercury and Venus revolved around the sun. He also taught that the earth revolves about its own axis once every 24 hours. He wrote a great many books, only fragments of which survive. These include:
"On nature"
"On Heaven and Hades"
"On the Pythagoreans"
"On discoveries"
"On physical repulsion"
"Zoroaster"
Tycho Brahe, the famous Danish astronomer (1564-1601), based his work on Heraclides' geo-heliocentric system.
This text is based on the Greek book "Ancient Greek Scientists", Athens, 1995 and is cited Sep 2005 from The Technology Museum of Thessaloniki URL below.
Heracleides, (Herakleides), son of Euthyphron or Euphron, born at Heracleia, in Pontus, and said by Suidas to have been descended from Damis, one of those who originally led the colony from Thebes to Heracleia. He was a person of considerable wealth, and migrated to Athens, where he became a pupil of Plato, and Suidas says that, during Plato's absence in Sicily, his school was left under the care of Heracleides. He paid attention also to the Pythagorean system, and afterwards attended the instructions of Speusippus, and finally of Aristotle. He appears to have been a vain and luxurious man, and so fat, that the Athenians punned on his surname, Pontikos, and turned it into Pompikus. Diogenes Laertius (v. 186, &c.) gives a long list of his writings, from which it appears that he wrote upon philosophy, mathematics, music, history, politics, grammar, and poetry; but unfortunately almost all these works are lost. There has come down to us a small work, under the name of Heracleides, entitled peri Politeion which is perhaps anl exatraet from the peri Nomon kai ton Sungenon toutois mentioned by Diogenes, though others conjecture that it is the work of another person. It was first printed with Aelian's Variae Historiae, at Rome in 1545, afterwards at Geneva, 1593, edited by Cragius, but the best editions are by Koler, with an introduction, notes, and a German translation, Halle, 1804, and by Coraes, in his edition of Aelian, Paris, 1805, 8vo. Another extant work, Allegoriai Homerikai, which also bears the name of Heracleides, was certainly not written by him. It was first printed with a Latin translation by Gesner, Basel, 1544, and afterwards with a German trans lation by Schulthess, Zurich, 1779. We further read in Diogenes (on the authority of Aristoxenus, surnamed ho mousikos, also a scholar of Aristotle), that " Heracleides made tragedies, and put the name of Thespis to them." This sentence has given ccasion to a learned disquisition by Bentley (Phalaris), to prove that the fragments attributed to Thespis are really cited from these counterfeit tragedies of Heracleides. The genuineness of one fragment he disproves by showing that it contains a sentiment belonging strictly to Plato, and which therefore may naturally be attributed to Heracleides. Some childish stories are told about Heracleides keeping a pet serpent, and ordering one of his friends to conceal his body after his death, and place the serpent on the bed, that it might be supposed that he had been taken to the company of the gods. It is also said, that he killed a man who had usurped the tyranny in Heracleia, and there are other traditions about him, scarcely worth relating. There was also another Heracleides Ponticus of the same town of Heracleia, a grammarian, who lived at Rome in the reign of the emperor Claudius. The titles of many of his works are mentioned by Diogenes and Suidas. (Vossius, de Histor. Graec., Koler, Fragmenta de Rebus publicis, Hal. Sax. 1804; Roulez, Commentatio de Vita et Scriptis Heraclidue Pontic., Lovanii, 1828; Deswert, Dissertatio de Heraclide Pont., Lovanii, 1830.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
390 - 310
Chamaeleon (Chamaileon), a Peripatetic philosopher of Heracleia on the Pontus,
was one of the immediate disciples of Aristotle. He wrote works on several of
the ancient Greek poets, namely, peti Anakpeontos, peri Sapphous, peri Simonidou,
peri Thespidos, peri Aiochulou, peri Lasou, peri Pindarou, peri Stesichorou. He
also wrote on the Iliad, and on Comedy (peri komoidias). In this last work he
treated, among other subjects, of the dances of comedy (Athen. xiv.). This work
is quoted by Athenaeus (ix.) by the title peri tes archaias komoidias, which is
also the tide of a work by the Peripatetic philosopher Eumnelus. It would seem
also that he wrote on Hesiod, for Diogenes says, that Chamaeleon accused Heracleides
Ponticus of having stolen from him his work concerning Homer and Hesiod (v. 6.92).
The above works were probably both biographical and critical. He also wrote works
entitled peri theon, and peri saturon, and some moral treatises, peri hedones
(which was also ascribed to Theophrastus), protrepikon, and peri methes. Of all
his works only a few fragments are preserved by Athenaeus and other ancient writers.
Chion, the son of Matris, a noble citizen of Heracleia, on the Pontus, was a disciple
of Plato. With the aid of Leon (or Leonides), Euxenon, and other noble youths,
he put to death Clearchus, the tyrant of Heracleia (B. C. 353). Most of the conspirators
were cut down by the tyrant's body-guards upon the spot, others were afterwards
taken and put to death with cruel tortures, and the city fell again beneath the
worse tyranny of Satyrus, the brother of Clearchus (Memnon, ap. Phot. Cod. 224).
There are extant thirteen letters which are ascribed to Chion, and
which are of considerable merit; but they are undoubtedly spurious. Probably they
are the composition of one of the later Platonists. They were first printed in
Greek in the Aldine collection of Greek Letters, Venet. 1499; again, in Greek
and Latin, in the reprint of that collection, Aurel. Allob. 1606. The first edition
in a separate form was by J. Caselius, printed by Steph. Myliander, Rostoch, 1583;
there was also a Latin translation published in the same volume with a Latin version
of the fourth book of Xenophon's Cyropaedeia, by the same editor and printer,
Rostoch, 1584. A more complete edition of the Greek text, founded on a new recension
of some Medicean MSS., with notes and indices, was published by J. T. Coberus,
Lips. and Dresd. 1765. The best edition, containing all that is valuable in the
preceding ones, is that of J. Conr. Orelli, in the same volume with his edition
of Memnon, Lips. 1816. It contains the Greek text, the Latin version of Caselius,
the Prolegomena of A. G. Hoffmann, the Preface of Coberus, and the Notes of Coberus,
Hoffmann, and Orelli. There are several selections from the letters of Chion.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Dionysius of Heracleia, a son of Theophantus. In early life he was a disciple of Heracleides, Alexinus, and Menedemus, and afterwards also of Zeno the Stoic, who appears to have induced him to adopt the philosophy of the porch. At a later time he was afflicted with a disease of the eyes, or with a nervous complaint, and the unbearable pains which it caused him led him to abandon the Stoic philosophy, and to join the Eleatics, whose doctrine, that hedone and the absence of pain was the highest good, had more charms for him than the austere ethics of the Stoa. This renunciation of his former philosophical creed drew upon him the nickname of metathemenos, i. e. the renegade. During the time that he was a Stoic, he is praised for his modesty, abstinence, and moderation, but afterwards we find him described as a person greatly given to sensual pleasures. He died in his eightieth year of voluntary starvation. Diogenes Laeirtius mentions a series of works of Dionysius, all of which, however, are lost, and Cicero censures him for having mixed up verses with his prose, and for his want of elegance and refinement. (Diog. Laert. vii. 166, 167, v. 92; Athen. vii., x.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Dec 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
ΠΟΝΤΟΣ (Αρχαία χώρα) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
Histiaeus. A Stoic philosopher, a native of Pontus, mentioned by Athenaeus (vi. p. 273 d.).
ΣΙΝΩΠΗ (Αρχαία πόλη) ΤΟΥΡΚΙΑ
A celebrated Cynic philosopher of Sinope. His father, Icesias,
a banker, was convicted of debasing the public coin, and was obliged to leave
the country; or, according to another account, his father and himself were charged
with this offence, and the former was thrown into prison, while the son escaped
and went to Athens. Here he attached himself, as a disciple, to Antisthenes, who
was at the head of the Cynics. Antisthenes at first refused to admit him into
his house and even struck him with a stick. Diogenes calmly bore the rebuke and
said, "Strike me, Antisthenes, but you will never find a stick sufficiently
hard to remove me from your presence, while you speak anything worth hearing."
The philosopher was so much pleased with this reply that he at once admitted him
among his scholars. Diogenes fully adopted the principles and character of his
master. Renouncing every other object of ambition, he determined to distinguish
himself by his contempt of riches and honours and by his invectives against luxury.
He wore a coarse cloak, carried a wallet and a staff, made the porticoes and other
public places his habitation, and depended upon casual contributions for his daily
bread. A friend whom he had desired to procure him a cell not executing his order
so soon as was expected, he took up his abode in a pithos, or large vessel, in
the Metroum. It is probable, however, that this was only a temporary expression
of indignation and contempt, and that he did not make it the settled place of
his residence. This famous "tub" is indeed celebrated by Juvenal; it
is also ridiculed by Lucian and mentioned by Seneca. But no notice is taken of
so singular a circumstance by other ancient writers who have mentioned this philosopher.
It cannot be doubted, however, that Diogenes practised the most hardy self-control
and the most rigid abstinence--exposing himself to the utmost extremes of heat
and cold and living upon the simplest diet, casually supplied by the hand of charity.
In his old age, sailing to Aegina, he was taken by pirates and carried to Crete,
where he was exposed to sale in the public market. When the auctioneer asked him
what he could do, he said, "I can govern men; therefore sell me to one who
wants a master." Xeniades, a wealthy Corinthian, happening at that instant
to pass by, was struck with the singularity of his reply and purchased him. On
their arrival at Corinth, Xeniades gave him his freedom and committed to him the
education of his children and the direction of his domestic concerns. Diogenes
executed this trust with so much judgment and fidelity that Xeniades used to say
that the gods had sent a good genius to his house.
During his residence at Corinth, the interview between him
and Alexander is said to have taken place. Plutarch relates that Alexander, when
at Corinth, receiving the congratulations of all ranks on being appointed to command
the army of the Greeks against the Persians, missed Diogenes among the number,
with whose character he was not unacquainted. Curious to see one who had given
so signal an instance of his haughty independence of spirit, Alexander went in
search of him and found him sitting in his tub in the sun. "I am Alexander
the Great," said the monarch. "And I am Diogenes the Cynic," replied
the philosopher. Alexander then requested that he would inform him what service
he could render him. "Stand from between me and the sun," said the Cynic.
Alexander, struck with the reply, said to his friends, who were ridiculing the
whimsical singularity of the philosopher, "If I were not Alexander, I should
wish to be Diogenes." This story is too good to be omitted, but there are
several circumstances which in some degree diminish its credibility. It supposes
Diogenes to have lived in his tub at Corinth, whereas it is certain that he lived
there in the house of Xeniades, and that, if he had ever dwelt in a tub, he left
it behind him at Athens. Alexander, moreover, was at this time scarcely twenty
years old, and could not call himself Alexander the Great, for he did not receive
this title till his Persian and Indian expedition, after which he never returned
to Greece; yet the whole transaction represents him as elated with the pride of
conquest. Diogenes probably was visited by Alexander, when the latter held the
general assembly of the Greeks at Corinth, and was received by him with rudeness
and incivility, which may have given rise to the whole story. The philosopher
at this time would have been about seventy years of age. Various accounts are
given concerning the manner and time of his death. It seems most probable that
he died at Corinth, of mere decay, in the ninetieth year of his age and in the
114th Olympiad. A column of Parian marble, terminating in the figure of a dog,
was raised over his tomb. His fellow-townsmen of Sinope also erected brazen statues
in memory of the philosopher. Diogenes left behind him no system of philosophy.
After the example of his school, he was more attentive to practical than to theoretical
wisdom.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Diogenes, a Cynic of Sinope in Pontus, born about B. C. 412. His father was a
banker named Icesias or Icetas, who was convicted of some swindling transaction,
in consequence of which Diogenes quitted Sinope and went to Athens. Ilis youth
is said to have been spent in dissolute extravagance; but at Athens his attention
was arrested by the character of Antisthenes, who at first drove him away, as
he did all others who offered themselves as his pupils. Diogenes, however, could
not be prevented from attending him even by blows, but told him that he would
find no stick hard enough to keep him away. Antisthenes at last relented, and
his pupil soon plunged into the most frantic excesses of austerity and moroseness,
and into practices not unlike those of the modern Trappists, or Indian gymnosophists.
In summer he used to roll in hot sand, and in winter to embrace statues covered
with snow; he wore coarse clothing, lived on the plainest food, and sometimes
on raw meat (comp. Julian, Orat. vi.), slept in porticoes or in the street, and
finally, according to the common story, took up his residence in a tub belonging
to the Metroum, or temple of the Mother of the Gods. The truth of this latter
tale has, however, been reasonably disputed. The chief direct authorities for
it are Seneca (Ep. 99), Lucian (Quomodo Conscr. Hist. ii.), Diogenes Laertius
(vi. 23), and the incidental allusion to it in Juvenal (xiv. 308, &c.), who says,
Alexander testa vidit in ilia magnum habitatorem, and Dolia nudi non ardent Cynici.
Besides these, Aristophanes (Equit. 789), speaks of the Athenian poor as living,
during the stress of the Peloponnesian war, in cellars, tubs (pithaknais), and
similar dwellings. To these arguments is opposed the fact, that Plutarch, Arrian,
Cicero, and Valerius Maximus, though they speak of Diogenes basking in the sun,
do not allude at all to the tub; but more particularly that Epictetus (ap. Arrian.
iii. 24), in giving a long and careful account of his mode of life, says nothing
about it. The great combatants on this subject in modem times are, against the
tub, Heumann (Act. Philosoph. vol. ii.), and for it, Hase, whose dissertation
de Doliari Habitatione Diogenis Cynici, was published by his rival. (Paecil. vol.
i. lib. iv.) The story of the tub goes on to say that the Athenians voted the
repair of this earthenware habitation when it was broken by a mischievous urchin.
Lucian, in telling this anecdote, appeals to certain spurious epistles, falsely
attributed to Diogenes. In spite of his strange eccentricities, Diogenes appears
to have been much respected at Athens, and to have been privileged to rebuke anything
of which he disapproved with the utmost possible licence of expression. He seems
to have ridiculed and despised all intellectual pursuits which did not directly
and obviously tend to some immediate practical good. He abused literary men for
reading about the evils of Ulysses, and neglecting their own; musicians for stringing
the lyre harmoniously while they left their minds discordant; men of science for
troubling themselves about the moon and stars, while they neglected what lay immediately
before them; orators for learning to say what was right, but not to practise it.
Various sarcastic sayings of the same kind are handed down as his, generally shewing
that unwise contempt for the common opinions and pursuits of men, which is so
unlikely to reform them.
The removal of Diogenes from Athens was the result of a voyage to
Aegina, in the course of which the ship was taken by pirates, and Diogenes carried
to Crete to be sold as a slave. Here when he was asked what business he understood,
he answered " How to command men," and he begged to be sold to some
one who needed a ruler. Such a purchaser was found in the person of Xeniades of
Corinth, over whom he acquired such unbounded influence, that he soon received
from him his freedom, was entrusted with the care of his children, and passed
his old age in his house. During his residence among them his celebrated interview
with Alexander the Great is said to have taken place. The conversation between
them is reported to have begun by the king's saying, " I am Alexander the
Great," to which the philosopher replied, " And I am Diogenes the Cynic."
Alexander then asked whether he could oblige him in any way, and received no answer
except " Yes, you can stand out of the sunshine." Considering, however,
that this must have happened soon after Alexander's accession, and before his
Persian expedition, he could not have called himself the Great, which title was
not conferred on him till he had gained his Eastern victories, after which he
never returned to Greece. These considerations, with others, are sufficient to
banish this anecdote, together with that of the tub, from the domain of history;
and, considering what rich materials so peculiar a person as Diogenes must have
afforded for amusing stories, we need not wonder if a few have come down to us
of somewhat doubtful genuineness. We are told, however, that Alexander admired
Diogenes so much that he said, " If I were not Alexander, I should wish to
be Diogenes." (Plut. Alex. c. 14.) Some say, that after Diogenes became a
resident at Corinth, he still spent every winter at Athens, and he is also accused
of various scandalous offences, but of these there is no proof; and the whole
bearing of tradition about him shews that, though a strange fanatic, he was a
man of great excellence of life, and probably of real kindness, since Xeniades
compared his arrival to the entrance of a good genius into his house.
With regard to the philosophy of Diogenes there is little to say,
as he was utterly without any scientific object whatever. His system, if it deserve
the name, was purely practical, and consisted merely in teaching men to dispense
with the simplest and most necessary wants (Diog. Laert. vi. 70); and his whole
style of teaching was a kind of caricature upon that of Socrates, whom he imitated
in imparting instruction to persons whom he casually met, and with a still more
supreme contempt for time, place, and circumstances. Hence he was sometimes called
" the mad Socrates." He did not commit his opinions to writing, and
therefore those attributed to him cannot be certainly relied on. The most peculiar,
if correctly stated, was, that all minds are air, exactly alike, and composed
of similar particles, but that in the irrational animals and in idiots, they are
hindered from properly developing themselves by the arrangement and various humours
of their bodies. (Plut. Plac. Phil. v. 20.) This resembles the Ionic doctrine,
and has been referred by Brucker Hist. Crit. Phil. ii. 2. 1.21) to Diogenes of
Apollonia. The statement in Suidas, that Diogenes was once called Cleon, is probably
a false reading for Kuon. He died at the age of nearly ninety, B. C. 323, in the
same year that Epicurus came to Athens to circulate opinions the exact opposite
to his. It was also the year of Alexander's death, and as Plutarch tells us (Sympos.
viii. 717), both died on the same day. If so, this was probably the 6th of Thargelion.
(Clinton, F. H. vol. ii.; Ritter, Gesch. der Philosophie, vii. 1, 4.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
400 - 323
Διογένης ο Κύων : Κυνικός φιλόσοφος από τη Σινώπη του Πόντου (βλ. Perseus Encyclopedia)
Diogenes (c.412-323 BC). Born in Sinope (today's Turkey),
Diogenes studied in Athens
under Antisthenes after forcing himself into his school.
Diogenes was to be what we today call an ascet, eating plainly, wearing
shreaded clothes and sleeping in the streets. Though an eccentric, he was greatly
admired by his time and is sometimes called the founder of the Cynic school instead
of Antisthenes.
When travelling to Aegina
he was captured and sold as a slave by pirates. Xeniades of Corinth
bought him, set him free and had him teach his children.
There are many anectodes about this man, who laughed at aristocrats
and is said to walk around Corinth
with a lighted lamp in daytime, looking for “a human being”. The most
famous one is the one about his meeting with Alexander the Great. When Alexander
asked the cynic, who lived in a barrel, what he could do for him, Diogenes replied
that he could step out of his sunlight, somethimg which greatly impressed the
king.
Tradition holds that Diogenes died on the same day as Alexander the
Great. He was 96 years old, and died in his barrel in Corinth.
Though the philosopher had requested his body be thrown in some ditch, he was
given a magnificent funeral.
This text is cited Sept 2003 from the In2Greece URL below.
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