the guide to the divine (Ep. 105, 142) and strove towards virtue, contemplation and a life
according to intellect (Ep. 137, 140, Hymn 1). Sunesios’ work includes nine Doric hymns (a
tenth is spurious) and treatises including On reign, Egyptian discourses or on providence, Dion, On
dreams, and several letters rich in biographical detail and important evidence for the history,
economy, and culture of contemporary Pentapolis. Most interesting is his Dion, wherein
Sunesios defends his way of life dedicated to literature and philosophy and his endeavors to
ascend to the intellect.
Ed.: A Garzya, Sinesio di Cirene Opere (1989); A. Garzya and D. Roques, Synésius de Cyrène, Correspondance
(2000) 2 vols.
RE 4A.2 (1932) 1362–1365 (#1), H. von Campenhausen; Chr. Lacombrade, Synésius Hellène et chrétien
(1951); OCD3 1463, P.J. Heather; NP 11.1147–1148 (#1), J. Rist.
George Karamanolis
S ⇒ M S
Suros (ca 125 – ca 150 CE)
Dedicatee of P’s Almagest, Handy Tables, Planetary Hypotheses, Analemma, Planispherium,
and Tetrabiblos. Other writings of Ptolemy with extant beginnings, namely the Harmonics,
Geography, and Phaseis, bear no dedications. A scholiast to the Tetrabiblos reports a tradition
that Suros was a physician. Ptolemy addresses him as an intellectual peer. Two brief texts on
astrological weather forecasting (CCAG 1.131–134 and 171–172) attributed to “Suros tinos,” –
probably “a Syrian” rather than someone named Suros – in any case have no known
connection with Ptolemy’s associate.
F. Boll, “Studien über Claudius Ptolemaeus,” Jahrbücher für Classische Philologie S.21 (1894) 51–244,
esp. 67.
Alexander Jones
S ⇒ A
Syrianus of Alexandria (before 432 – 437 CE)
Born in Alexandria (Souda Sigma-1662), the son of the otherwise unknown Philoxenos (Vita
Procli 11), Syrianus was akin to his younger compatriot Aidesia, who married his student
Hermeias of Alexandria (Souda A-79), and to the grammatikos Ammo ̄nianus (Souda A-
1639). Together with Hierokle ̄s and the sophists Lakhare ̄s and Nikolaos, Syrianus studied
with P A until the latter’s death in 432, and succeeded him as the
head of the Athenian Neo-Platonic school. At Ploutarkhos’ bequest, Syrianus mentored
Ploutarkhos’ grandson Arkhiadas, and P, who became his most prolific and devoted
disciple. Syrianus’ other famous students are D L, Hermeias and
M N.
Syrianus was probably the most innovative and influential late Athenian Neo-Platonist.
His original elaboration of Neo-Platonist metaphysics and his theories and exegetical
methods are reflected in Proklos (Theol. Plat. 1.6 Saffrey). Despite Syrianus’ important writ-
ten production, only two of his works survive: his commentary on A’s Metaphysics
ΒΓΜΝ (IM; for its completeness see O’Meara 1989: 120–122); and a commentary on
Hermogene ̄s’ rhetorical treatises On Style and On Issues. Hermeias’ commentary on P’s
SUROS