Akesias of Athens (350 – 230 BCE)
Wrote on culinary art (Ath., Deipn. 12 [516c]). Proverbially, patients under his care declined,
and so he was declared to have “healed (patients) for the worse” (Souda A-842; Zenob. 1.52;
Diogenianus, 2.3). A B (p. 238 Nauck) provides the terminus
ante quem.
RE 1.1 (1893) 1163, M. Wellmann; KP 1.217, Fr. Hiller von Gärtringen; BNP 1 (2002) 67, V. Nutton.
GLIM
Akhaios (200 BCE – 80 CE)
A, in G CMLoc 7.4 (13.79 K.), records a pill for blood-spitting (cf.
phthisis) from ΑΚΑΚΙΟΣ, containing several red ingredients (Samian and Sino ̄pian
earths, red coral, and pomegranate-flower), for sympathetic effect, as well as henbane
and opium. ΑΧAIOΣ, common from the 5th to 2nd cc. BCE, could easily become ΑΚΑΚΙΟΣ,
common from the 3rd c. CE (LGPN).
RE 1.1 (1893) 1140 (#1), M. Wellmann.
GLIM
Akhilla ̄s (120 BCE – 80 CE)
A, in G CMLoc 7.5 (13.90 K.), describes him as a parakente ̄tos (cataract-
coucher or dropsy-tapper), and records his opium-based anodyne (containing also ammi,
cassia, Indian nard, and pepper), and in CMGen 5.12 (13.834 K.) lists his pill, containing
aloes, alum, frankincense, khalkanthon, misu, myrrh, etc., with the renowned ones of
P and A. This form of the name is not recorded before the 1st c. BCE
(LGPN). (The Akhilleios of A 15.15 [Zervos 1909: 67] is likely a brand-name.)
RE 1.1 (1893) 220 (#2), M. Wellmann.
PTK
Akhilleus (Tatius?) (200 – 300 CE)
Three MSS include an introduction to A’ Phainomena deriving “from Akhilleus’ <trea-
tise> On the Universe” (Univ). Its 40 chapters, constituting an elementary introduction to
astronomy, emphasizes underlying physical theories more than mathematics (spherical
astronomy) and quotes an impressive range of sources: pre-Socratics, A, P,
E, Aratos, many Stoic and Pythagorean philosophers, mathematicians (astron-
omers) and grammatikoi, whose divergences Akhilleus is quick to indicate. Since Univ
quotes 2nd c. authorities (including P and A A) and F-
M cites prudentissimus Achilles as an authority in astrology (Mathesis 4.17.2,
but see Neugebauer 1975: 950–952 for Univ’s meager astrological content), Akhilleus must
have lived around the 3rd c. and may be identifiable with an homonymous grammatikos
(Di Maria 2) – according with Univ’s style and content.
The Souda (A-4695) lists only one Akhilleus “Statios” (i.e. Tatios), author of Leukippe ̄ and
Kleitopho ̄n, attributing to him an additional three works: On the Sphere (of which Univ may be a
chapter) and Etumologiai and Historia summiktos (both lost). Identification with the novelist is
doubtful (the Souda seems to rely only on the novel’s stylistic similarities to the last three
works) and is now usually rejected (the earliest known fragment of the novel is dated ca
AKHILLEUS