Alexander Lychnus
Encyclopedia
Alexander surnamed Lychnus , was an ancient Greek rhetorician and poet. He was a native of Ephesus
, from which he is sometimes called Alexander Ephesius, and must have lived shortly before the time of Strabo
(i.e., the 1st century BC), who mentions him among the more recent Ephesian authors, and also states that he took a part in the political affairs of his native city. Strabo ascribes to him a history, and poems of a didactic kind, viz. one on astronomy and another on geography, in which he describes the great continents of the world, treating of each in a separate work or book, which, as we learn from other sources, bore the name of the continent of which it contained an account. What kind of history it was that Strabo alludes to, is uncertain. The so-called Aurelius Victor
quotes the first book of a history of the Marsic War by Alexander the Ephesian; but this authority is considered doubtful.
Some writers have supposed that this Alexander is the author of the history of the succession of Greek philosophers , which is often referred to by Diogenes Laërtius
; but this work belonged probably to Alexander Polyhistor
. His geographical poem, of which several fragments are still extant, is frequently referred to by Stephanus of Byzantium
and others. Of his astronomical poem a fragment is still extant, which however has also been attributed to Alexander Aetolus
, particularly by the scholars Thomas Gale
and Johann Gottlob Schneider
. It is highly probable that Cicero
is speaking of Alexander Lychnus when he mentions an Alexander whom he says is a bad poet, and a careless writer, but whose poems yet possess some factual information.
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
, from which he is sometimes called Alexander Ephesius, and must have lived shortly before the time of Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
(i.e., the 1st century BC), who mentions him among the more recent Ephesian authors, and also states that he took a part in the political affairs of his native city. Strabo ascribes to him a history, and poems of a didactic kind, viz. one on astronomy and another on geography, in which he describes the great continents of the world, treating of each in a separate work or book, which, as we learn from other sources, bore the name of the continent of which it contained an account. What kind of history it was that Strabo alludes to, is uncertain. The so-called Aurelius Victor
Aurelius Victor
Sextus Aurelius Victor was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire.Aurelius Victor was the author of a History of Rome from Augustus to Julian , published ca. 361. Julian honoured him and appointed him prefect of Pannonia Secunda...
quotes the first book of a history of the Marsic War by Alexander the Ephesian; but this authority is considered doubtful.
Some writers have supposed that this Alexander is the author of the history of the succession of Greek philosophers , which is often referred to by Diogenes Laërtius
Diogenes Laertius
Diogenes Laertius was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is known about his life, but his surviving Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers is one of the principal surviving sources for the history of Greek philosophy.-Life:Nothing is definitively known about his life...
; but this work belonged probably to Alexander Polyhistor
Alexander Polyhistor
Lucius Cornelius Alexander Polyhistor was a Greek scholar who was enslaved by the Romans during the Mithridatic War and taken to Rome as a tutor. After his release, he continued to live in Italy as a Roman citizen...
. His geographical poem, of which several fragments are still extant, is frequently referred to by Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephanus of Byzantium
Stephen of Byzantium, also known as Stephanus Byzantinus , was the author of an important geographical dictionary entitled Ethnica...
and others. Of his astronomical poem a fragment is still extant, which however has also been attributed to Alexander Aetolus
Alexander Aetolus
For other uses, see Alexander and Alexander Alexander Aetolus was a Greek poet and grammarian, the only known representative of Aetolian poetry...
, particularly by the scholars Thomas Gale
Thomas Gale
Thomas Gale was an English classical scholar, antiquarian and cleric.-Life:He was born at Scruton, Yorkshire...
and Johann Gottlob Schneider
Johann Gottlob Schneider
Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider was a German classicist and naturalist.-Biography:Schneider was born at Collm in Saxony...
. It is highly probable that Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
is speaking of Alexander Lychnus when he mentions an Alexander whom he says is a bad poet, and a careless writer, but whose poems yet possess some factual information.