Alexander of Lukaia (250 – 30 BCE)
Wrote a Phainomena, according to B S (P), entirely lost; H-
, Astr. 2.21.3, mentions an Alexander who wrote on the Hyades, possibly A
A, A E, A M, or this man.
DPA 1 (1989) 144, P. Robiano.
PTK
Alexander of Mile ̄tos, Cornelius, Poluhisto ̄r (ca 80 – ca 40 BCE)
“Poluhisto ̄r” for his wide range of interests. A pupil of K M, Alexander was
taken prisoner in Asia Minor during Rome’s war with M VI E,
brought to Rome as slave, and then tutored a certain Cornelius Lentulus. He was freed and
granted Roman citizenship under Sulla ca 80 BCE, whereupon he adopted the clan name of
his former Roman master, Cornelius. He also taught C. I H, himself a prolific
author. Alexander died in a fire in Laurentum when his house was destroyed; his wife
Hele ̄ne ̄ hanged herself (Souda A-1129). Alexander produced works in various fields, includ-
ing literature (e.g. on the poetry of Alcman and Corinna), and philosophy, but most of the
surviving fragments indicate his specific interest in geography and ethnography. To these
belong, according to their order in FGrHist, excerpts of descriptions of Egypt, the Black
Sea, Illyria, India, Italy, various parts of Asia Minor, Crete, Cyprus, Libya, Rome and Syria
as well as an ethnographic treatise on the Jews and one on marvels (thaumasia).
Ed.: FGrHist 273.
L. Troiani, “Sull’opera di Cornelio Alessandro soprannominato Polistore,” in: Due studi di storiografia e
religione antiche (1988) 9–39.
Daniela Dueck
Alexander of Mundos (10 BCE – 40 CE)
Wrote a Periplous of the Red Sea of which A, NA 17.1 preserves one fragment, a
book on dream interpretation of which A D preserves three frag-
ments (1.67, 2.9, 2.66), perhaps a book on theriac, of which a scholiast preserves one
fragment, and a book On Animals of which over two dozen fragments are preserved, mainly
in P Marius 17.3, Aelianus 3.23 on storks, 4.33 on chameleons, 5.27 on unusual
goats, and Athe ̄naios, Deipn., 5 (221b–d) and esp. 9 (387–398). The Collection of Marvels on
animals, plants, rivers, and springs, excepted by Pho ̄tios Bibl. 188, is probably his.
FGrHist 25; DSB 1.120–121, J. Stannard.
PTK
Alexander of Pleuron, Aitoleus (290 – 250 BCE)
Born at Pleuron ca 315, son of Saturos and Stratokleia, the poet and grammatikos
Alexander of Pleuron was contemporary with A, K and Theokritos.
He lived both in Alexandria, Egypt (perhaps at different times of his life) and in Pella,
Macedon. He seems to be the only known Aitolian poet. In Alexandria, he worked at
the Library for Ptolemy II Philadelphos and undertook the dio ̄rthosis (correction of copies,
critical and exegetical commentary and classification) of tragedies and satyr plays. Around
276 he was called to the court of Antigonos Gonatas in Macedon along with Aratos
ALEXANDER OF PLEURON, AITOLEUS