Pausistratos of Rhodes (200 – 190 BCE)
Commander of the Rhodian fleet, betrayed by Antiokhos’ admiral Poluxenidas (Livy
36.45, 37.9–12; Poluainos 5.27). Pausistratos used a funnel-shaped iron basket manipulated
by iron chains and suspended from a ship’s prow, on long poles (to clear his own ships), to
hurl fire at enemy ships in frontal and front lateral attacks (App. Syr. 24; Inscr. Lind.
264; P Book 21, fr.7.1–4: Walbank 3 [1979] 97). Appian renders the name as
Pausimakhos.
RE 18.4 (1949) 2423–2425 (#29), Thos. Lenschau; BNP 10 (2007) 654, L.-M. Günther; S.T. Teodorsson,
“Pausistratos’ Fire Basket” SO 65 (1990) 31–35.
GLIM
Paxamos (90 – 30 BCE)
Greek author (though his name is Egyptian) who wrote a treatise on agriculture in two
books (Souda Pi-253). C (12.4.2) states that in his work he “followed Mago” –
presumably using C D’ translation – and wrote before the age of A.
He discussed the cultivation of pistachios (G 10.12.3) and probably much
else (attributions in the Geo ̄ponika are unreliable, however). Other works ascribed to him by
the Souda include an alphabetically-organized cookbook, two books on dyes (Baphika), a sex
manual, and a history of Boio ̄tia (Boio ̄tika) in two books – though perhaps the title should
be emended to read Botanika, “Herbal Remedies.” He may also be mentioned by the
alchemist Z P in his On the Evaporation of the Divine Water which Fixes
Mercury (Mém. Auth. 8.5 in Mertens [1995]; contrast CAAG 3.140).
H. Beckh, Geoponica (1895) passim; RE 18.4 (1949) 2436–2437, W. Morel; FGrHist 377.
Philip Thibodeau
Pe ̄bikhios or Pibe ̄khios (50 – 300 CE)
Alchemist of Egyptian descent, judging by his name, a transliteration of Egyptian “he of
the hawk” (i.e., “Hierax”); first mentioned by Z P (CAAG 2.155, 158,
169, 182 and 196), who cites a work in which Pe ̄bikhios addresses a discussion of yellow
washes to “The Philosopher” (viz. -D; CAAG 2.184–185). He is later
mentioned by S (CAAG 2.63, and apud O, CAAG 2.91), S
A (Ideler 2 [1842/1963] 236) and the A A P-
(CAAG 2.220). Preisendanz suggests that he may be identifiable with the Egyptian
magician Pibe ̄chis – to whom is attributed an invocation against epilepsy exhibiting a strong
Jewish influence (PGM 4.3007–3086) – and, less certainly, with the magician Apollobe ̄x
(A Apol. 90; PGM 12.121 see P. L V) or Apollobeches (P 30.9). If this
last identification is indeed true, his floruit must be before the mid-1st c. CE. Syriac Letters of
Pe ̄bikhios survive addressed to the otherwise unknown Osron the Mage (Berthelot and Duval
[1893] summary – and partial translation 309–312).
M. Berthelot and R. Duval, La chimie au moyen âge, v. 2: L’alchimie syriaque (1893) 309–312; RE 20.1 (1941)
1310 – 1312 (s.v. Pibechis), K. Preisendanz.
Bink Hallum
PAUSISTRATOS OF RHODES