all three, but Vallance thinks Askle ̄piade ̄s was rejecting the then-popular notions (also
mechanical) of E. None of Askle ̄piade ̄s’ writings survives, although he is cited
as late as A A’s Tetrabiblos, and G’s vicious attacks against Askle ̄piade ̄s
and his “followers,” especially T and T, rather well doomed the works to
obscurity. Gale ̄n’s major objection was Askle ̄piade ̄s’ denial of teleology.
Ed.: C.G. Gumpert, Asclepiadis Bithyniae Fragmenta (1794) = trans. by R.M. Green, “Fragments from
Asclepiades of Bithynia” in Asclepiades: his Life and Writings (1955); J.T. Vallance (in preparation).
N.W. DeWitt, “Epicureanism in Italy” and “Epicureanism in Rome” in Epicurus and his Philosophy (1954)
340 – 344; H.B. Gottschalk, “The Theory of anarmoi ongkoi” in Heraclides of Pontus (1980) 37–57;
E. Rawson, “The Life and Death of Asclepiades of Bithynia,” CQ 32 (1982) 358–370 = repr. in
Roman Culture and Society: Collected Papers (1991) 427–443; Vallance (1990); Idem, “The Medical System
of Asclepiades of Bithynia,” ANRW 2.37.1 (1993) 693–727; R. Polito, “On the Life of Asclepiades
of Bithynia,” JHS 119 (1999) 48–66; W.R. Johnson, “A Secret Garden: Georgics 4.116–148;”
M. Gigante, “Vergil in the shadow of Vesuvius;” D. Delattre, “Vergil and Music, in Diogenes of
Babylon and Philodemus;” and F. Cairns, “Varius and Vergil: Two Pupils of Philodemus in Proper-
tius 2.34?,” in D. Armstrong et al., edd., Vergil, Philodemus and the Augustans (2004) 75–99, 245–263, and
299 – 321; D. Sider, “Philodemus and his Texts” in The Library of the Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum
(2005) 78–95.
John Scarborough
Askle ̄piade ̄s of Murleia (ca 90 – 60 BCE)
Son of Diotimos; taught in Turdetania (inland north of Gade ̄s). Before leaving his homeland,
wrote its history, of which a few fragments survive, notably Ath., Deipn. 2.35 (50d-e), on the
soporific and headache-inducing berries of the khamaikerasos (“ground cherry”) of Bithunia.
While in Turdetania wrote a perie ̄ge ̄sis of that land, Galicia, and Catalonia (perhaps of all
Iberia?), which S cites (3.4.3, 19). Also composed a commentary on A, a
monograph on the Pleiades, and a work on Nestor’s Cup in H, of which Athe ̄naios,
Deipn. 11 (489c–494b), preserves much: Askle ̄piade ̄s argues that it metaphorically reflects the
kosmos. The confused notice in the Souda A-4173, and the frequency of his name, have
spawned modern scholarly debates about his identity with the grammarian Askle ̄piade ̄s
used by S E. He is called doctus ac diligens by M 5.21.5.
FGrHist 697; BNP 2 (2003) 98–99 (#8), F. Montanari.
PTK
A P ⇒ A B
Askle ̄piodotos of Alexandria (460 – 510 CE?)
Born in Alexandria, where, as a boy, devoting himself to science and crafts (paints and dyes,
rocks, and especially biology), he invented mechanical devices for religious ritual use. He
studied medicine with I P, and later revived the use of white helle-
bore. P was his mentor in Athens, where ca 470 CE Askle ̄piodotos met and
befriended D (later quarreling over a mathematical dispute), and became
acquainted with D, whose fragmentary Life of Isidore is our primary source for
Askle ̄piodotos. S called him Proklos’ best student (Coroll. Time = CAG 9 [1882]
795). He left Athens for study in Seleukeia of Syria, married Damiane ̄ of Aphrodisias, and
taught in Aphrodisias. Initially childless, the couple moved to Alexandria to entreat Isis for a
ASKLE ̄PIODOTOS OF ALEXANDRIA