praefectus of Illyria (Aus. Epic. 2; Lect. 5 – 14; Parent. 3). He spoke Greek better than Latin (Epic.
2.9), possibly because he had studied in a medical school of Massalia. He is listed by
M B (pr.2) as a source, who also refers to a remedy of Ausonius for
sciatica and arthritis (25.21).
RE 2.2 (1896) 2562 (#2), F. Marx; M.K. Hopkins, “Social Mobility in the Later Roman Empire,” CQ
11 (1961) 239–249; PLRE 1 (1971) 139 (#5); Matthews (1975) 81–82.
Fabio Stok
Autolukos of Pitane ̄ (ca 300 BCE)
Taught Arkesilaos with whom he then
traveled to Sarde ̄s (D L,
4.29). Two works of his survive, On Rotating
Spheres and On Risings and Settings. Although
earlier Greek mathematical texts may be
found in A and the fragments of
E, these are probably the earliest
extant complete Greek mathematical texts;
yet they display a formal presentational
style similar to other extant treatises of the
3rd c. BCE. The 12 propositions of On
Rotating Spheres concern a sphere attached
to a fixed horizon, where it rotates
obliquely to it, and consider the proper-
ties of visible and invisible parts of the
sphere. In On Risings and Settings (two
books), Autolukos defines the basic phases
of fixed stars, evening rising and setting, morning rising and setting, distinguishes the appar-
ent phases from the true, and examines the conditions for the phases to occur for stars north
of, on, and south of the ecliptic. He assumes the arc determining visibility is ½ a zodiacal
sign or a 24th part of the zodiacal circle, i.e. if the sun is at least ½ a sign from the ecliptic
point on the horizon, then stars above the horizon can be visible. The second book elabor-
ates in detail some of the theorems of the first book. He attempted, in a dispute with
A, to explain variations in the brightness of planets, which seem to indicate
changes in their distances from the earth (S, In de caelo, CAG 7 [1894] 504: cf.
P).
Ed.: J. Mogenet, Autolycus de Pitane: histoire du texte (1950); F. Bruin and A. Vondjidis, trans. and ed., The
Books of Autolykos: On a Moving Sphere and On Risings and Settings (1971).
Neugebauer (1975) 747–767.
Henry Mendell
Auxano ̄n (before ca 350 CE)
Described as hippiatros by A, who quotes Auxano ̄n on cures for diarrhea (Hippiatrica
Parisina 103 = Hippiatrica Berolinensia 35.1).
McCabe (2007) 141–142.
Anne McCabe
Autolukos: On Risings and Settings © Mendell
AUXANO ̄N