Hermeias (Math.) (40 – 100 CE)
One of P’ interlocutors in Table Talk 9.3 (738D–739A), a geometer who addressed
why the Greek alphabet contains 24 letters. His solution rested upon perfect numbers
(for which he provided two definitions), squares, and cubes. The number of letters of the
alphabet are 3x8 (the first perfect number with a beginning, middle, and end times the first
cube) or 6x4 (the first perfect number equal to the aliquot sum of its factors times the first
square).
RE 8.1 (1912) 732 (#12), C.R. Tittel.
GLIM
Hermeias (Doxogr.) (150 – 250 CE)
Otherwise unknown Christian author of a satire of philosophical doctrines, commonly
known as Irrisio gentilium philosophorum. This short treatise is based mainly on doxographical
information and contains some close parallels to known texts. It contains nothing of
importance not found elsewhere, but it demonstrates how varied doxographical texts were,
and how important it was for some early Christian writers to minimize the pagan
philosophers.
Ed.: R.P.C. Hanson and D. Joussot, Hermias: Satire des philosophes paiens = Sources chrétiennes 388 (1993).
Mansfeld and Runia (1996) 314–317.
Jørgen MejerHermeias (Astrol.) (150 BCE – 150 CE)
Astrologer, whose name (though very common) was perhaps adopted in allusion to Herme ̄s.
The heading V V’ Anthologiai 4.27 states that the following discussion of a
scheme of determining planetary lords for temporal intervals in an individual’s life are
“from Seuthe ̄s On Years.” Confusingly, immediately following are the words, “a lecture from
Hermeias.” Hermeias refers to himself by name in the first person in 4.29, making the three
successive chapters appear a direct quotation of his lecture. It is not clear whether Seuthe ̄s
was an anthologizer or an auditor recording the lecture at first hand.
Riley (n.d.).
Alexander Jones
Hermeias (Geog.) (325 BCE – 540 CE)
Wrote a perie ̄ge ̄sis, cited once by S B, s.v. “Khalkis.”
RE 8.1 (1912) 731 (#7), F. Jacoby.
PTK
Hermeias (Ophthalm.) (250 BCE – 95 CE)
Ophthalmologist whose eyewash A P., in G, CMLoc 4.8 (12.754 K.),
records – aloes, calamine, frankincense, myrrh, roasted copper, saffron, and opium in
gum, egg-white, and Mendesian wine, applied every 3–4 hours; he is also cited as an authority
on inverted eyelashes, ibid. (12.801).
RE 8.1 (1912) 832 (#12), H. Gossen.
PTK
HERMEIAS (MATH.)