Philonides of Laodicea
Encyclopedia
Philonides of Laodicea in Syria, was an Epicurean philosopher and mathematician
who lived in the Seleucid court during the reigns of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
and Demetrius I Soter
.
He is known principally from a Life of Philonides which was discovered among the charred papyrus scrolls at the Villa of the Papyri
at Herculaneum
. Philonides was born into a family with good connections with the Seleucid court. He is said to have been taught by one Eudemus, and Dionysodorus
the mathematician. Philonides attempted to convert Antiochus IV Epiphanes to Epicureanism
, and later instructed his nephew Demetrius I Soter in philosophy. Philonides was highly honoured in the court, and he is also known from various stone inscriptions.
He was renowned as a mathematician, and is mentioned by Apollonius of Perga
in the preface to the second book of his Conics.
Philonides was a zealous collector of the works of Epicurus
and his colleagues, and is said to have published over 100 treatises, probably compilations of the works he collected.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
who lived in the Seleucid court during the reigns of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....
and Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I Soter
Demetrius I , surnamed Soter , was a ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire....
.
He is known principally from a Life of Philonides which was discovered among the charred papyrus scrolls at the Villa of the Papyri
Villa of the Papyri
The Villa of the Papyri is a private house in the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum . Situated north-west of the township, the residence sits halfway up the slope of the volcano Vesuvius without other buildings to obstruct the view. The villa suburbana was owned by Julius Caesar's father-in-law,...
at Herculaneum
Herculaneum
Herculaneum was an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in AD 79, located in the territory of the current commune of Ercolano, in the Italian region of Campania in the shadow of Mt...
. Philonides was born into a family with good connections with the Seleucid court. He is said to have been taught by one Eudemus, and Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus
Dionysodorus of Caunus was an ancient Greek mathematician.- Life and work :Little is known about the life of Dionysodorus...
the mathematician. Philonides attempted to convert Antiochus IV Epiphanes to Epicureanism
Epicureanism
Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus, founded around 307 BC. Epicurus was an atomic materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to a general attack on superstition and divine intervention. Following Aristippus—about whom...
, and later instructed his nephew Demetrius I Soter in philosophy. Philonides was highly honoured in the court, and he is also known from various stone inscriptions.
He was renowned as a mathematician, and is mentioned by Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga
Apollonius of Perga [Pergaeus] was a Greek geometer and astronomer noted for his writings on conic sections. His innovative methodology and terminology, especially in the field of conics, influenced many later scholars including Ptolemy, Francesco Maurolico, Isaac Newton, and René Descartes...
in the preface to the second book of his Conics.
Philonides was a zealous collector of the works of Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism.Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works...
and his colleagues, and is said to have published over 100 treatises, probably compilations of the works he collected.