Ed.: V. Palmieri, De diversis verborum significationibus (1988) 17–48.
BNP 6 (2005) 199–201, S. Fornaro.
PTK
Philo ̄n of Buzantion © Bayerische StaatsBibliothek
Wrote on mechanics and lived shortly after K on whose work he draws. Philo ̄n is
quoted by H A and E, and included by V in a list of
writers on mechanics also including A, A, Kte ̄sibios, N,
and later authors (7.pr.14). Otherwise little is known of his life. His own work, referring to
travels to Alexandria and Rhodes, indicates that he may have worked for a patron, perhaps
the unknown Aristo ̄n to whom his treatises are dedicated.
Philo ̄n appears to have written a collection of treatises on mechanics, the Mechanical
Collection (Me ̄khanike ̄ Suntaxis). Internal references suggest that there were nine books: 1. Intro-
duction, 2. The Lever (Mokhlika), 3. Harbor Construction (Limenopoiika), 4. Artillery Construction
(Belopoiika), 5. Pneumatics (Pneumatika), 6. Automaton Construction (Automatopoiika), 7. Siege Prepar-
ations (Paraskeuastika), 8. Siege Craft (Poliorke ̄tika) and 9. Strategems (Strate ̄ge ̄mata). Of these only
Artillery Construction, and parts of Siege Preparations and Siege Craft, are preserved in Greek,
while Pneumatics is preserved in an abbreviated Latin and a modified Arabic translation. By
assembling this particular range of topics under the heading of mechanics, the Collection
presents mechanics as a well-defined discipline, and covers similar ground as Kte ̄sibios had,
and as He ̄ro ̄n would, three centuries later.
Artillery Construction is introduced by methodological considerations (49.1–56.8). Philo ̄n
emphasizes that artillery construction depends on both theoretical principles and practical
trial and error. The construction and scaling of standard torsion catapults is systematized by
introducing a fundamental measure – the size of the hole through which the springs are
drawn. To find the diameter of the hole for a catapult that is double the size, it is necessary
to solve the famous geometrical problem of doubling the cube, i.e. finding the side of a cube
with double the volume of a known cube. This problem cannot be solved by the standard
geometrical methods of ruler and compass, and Philo ̄n uses a sliding ruler, thus mixing
geometrical and mechanical methods (He ̄ro ̄n offers a similar solution). Philo ̄n then des-
cribes a number of more advanced catapults: an arrow-firing engine (56.8–67.27), a bronze-
spring engine inspired by Kte ̄sibios (67.28–73.20), D A’s repeating
catapult (73.21–77.8) and Kte ̄sibios’ air-spring engine (77.9–78.26).
The Pneumatics begins with theoretical chapters on the interaction of water and air (1–5).
On the basis of simple experiments air is shown to be a body. Water cannot enter a vessel
filled with air unless the air can escape. Moreover there can be no void. Even water, which is
heavy, moves upwards in a vessel if the air is sucked out, as if the water and air were glued
together. The main part of the treatise consists of a series of chapters describing pneumatic
devices such as novelty drink dispensers, constant level bowls, washstands, pumps, simple
automata and water lifting devices (6–16). Both the introduction and the devices have been
related to Kte ̄sibios’ lost work(s).
The lost book on Automaton Construction that may have followed the Pneumatics is known
from He ̄ro ̄n’s work of the same name, which includes a show ascribed to Philo ̄n about
Nauplius and the return of the Greeks from Troy (20–30).
Philo ̄n’s treatises on Siege Craft and Siege Preparations are printed as one work in current
editions; it consists of short chapters that can be divided into four sections. The first two
PHILO ̄N OF BUZANTION