Time-Line
1 Most (97%) of the entries possess a date-range, either the termini post and ante of actual
working lifespan (e.g., Aristotle), or else the termini post and ante within which the
author was active or the work created (e.g., the “Anonymous Londiniensis” here filed as
“Londiniensis medicus”). There are 30 entries for which only one terminus is provided;
and 12 entries for which no date at all is given (these are listed after the “Time-Line”).
Moreover, 18 entries whose date-range (or akme ̄) places them after our terminus of 650
, but included in EANS either because previously assigned to our period or else
helpful to clarify other entries, are also placed after the “Time-Line.”
2 We eschew as far as possible the ill-defined concept of the “akme ̄” introduced by
Apollodo ̄ros of Athens (and Latinized by Jerome as “floruit”), although in 70 cases
where we have but one date that is all we can give (e.g., Aristo ̄n of Keo ̄s, Arkhagathos,
Astrologos of 379, etc.). Some of those demonstrate the defect of using a floruit, since
the sole date known is the death-date (e.g., Aemilius Macer, Ploutarkhos of Athens, and
Theaite ̄tos).
3 Note that the dates given for papyri are usually the papyrological date, not the date of
the work; but see P. Berol. 9782, P. Hibeh 1.27, P. Hibeh 2.187, P. Oxy. 3.470, P. Oxy.
13.1609, and P. Parisinus graecus 1.
4 About half the entries have date-ranges much wider than the “maximum likely”
working lifetime (which we take to be 50 years); these are placed in the right-hand
column of the “Time-Line.” However, 33 of the 1,014 entries with a “wide” date-range
represent a known actual working lifetime, and those are treated as (i.e., categorized
with) the other 962 that have a narrow range or an akme ̄: Alexander of Tralleis,
Anaxagoras, Anthe ̄mios, Antisthene ̄s of Athens, Antonius Castor, Arkhelaos of Kap-
padokia, Ausonius, Cornelius Nepos, Damaskios, De ̄mokritos of Abde ̄ra, Diodo ̄ros of
Sicily, Gale ̄n, Gorgias of Leontinoi, Hiero ̄n II, Hiero ̄numos of Kardia, Hippokrate ̄s
of Ko ̄s, Io ̄anne ̄s of Alexandria (Philoponos), Kleanthe ̄s, Luko ̄n of Troas, Lusimakhos of
Macedon, Mithradate ̄s VI, Polemo ̄n of Athens, Polubios, Poseido ̄nios of Apameia,
Proklos of Lukia, Cassiodorus Senator, Strabo ̄n, Terentius Varro of Reate, Theophras-
tos, Timaios of Tauromenion, Xenarkhos, Xenokrate ̄s of Khalke ̄do ̄n, Xenophane ̄s.
5 In addition to the exclusions noted in # 1 above (entries with unknown, late, or partial
date-ranges), 61 entries of the remaining 981 “wide” entries are so uncertainly dated,
i.e., have termini so wide (525 years or more), that they cannot be meaningfully included
in the “Time-Line” and are also listed afterwards.
6 In grouping the 995 net total “narrow” entries into 37 clusters of 35 years each
(a notional “generation”), as well as in grouping the 920 net total “wide” entries into