Zo ̄puros of Alexandria (130 – 70 BCE)
Surgeon and pharmacologist, active in Alexandria, teacher of the Empiricist A-
K (whence we infer that he belonged to the Empiricist “school”). He kept up
a correspondence with M VI: he sent the king an antidote suggesting that he
try it on some condemned men (G Antid. 2.8 [14.150 K.]; S L 169).
He prepared an antidote, called Ambrosia, for one Ptolemy, perhaps XII Aulete ̄s (Gale ̄n Antid.
2.17 [14.205 K.]; C 5.23.2). Further pharmaceutical prescriptions, probably from a
work entitled On simple remedies, are attested by P (24.87), O (several remed-
ies), A A, and D. The remedy called zopyrium from the name of
its inventor, mentioned by C A Acute 3.47 (CML 6.1, p. 320), Chron. 2.210,
3.58, 5.118 (pp. 672, 712–714, 924), is perhaps named after him.
Ed.: Deichgräber (1930) 21, 205–206 (fragments), 261–262.
RE 10A (1972) 771–772 (#15), J. Kollesch; NP 12/2.836 (#8), V. Nutton; AML 938 – 939, G. Marasco.
Fabio Stok
Zo ̄puros of Gortuna (ca 20 – 55 CE)
Physician, S L’ guest-friend during Zo ̄puros’ ambassadorship to Rome
(Comp. 172). Scribonius included one of Zo ̄puros’ antidotes, now lost (Comp. 169, and index).
RE 10A (1972) 772 (#17), J. Kollesch.
GLIM
Zo ̄puros of Taras (220 – 210 BCE?)
B records two tension-catapults constructed by Zo ̄puros, whom Diels (1930: 22–23)
identified with an otherwise unknown Pythagorean mentioned by I (VP 267),
and dated to ca 360 BCE. But the name is very common (LGPN), and there is no need to
make the identification. Sometime before 170 BCE, at Mile ̄tos, Zo ̄puros designed a mid-
sized arrow-shooter (gastraphete ̄s: Bito ̄n pp. 61–64), perhaps in preparation for an attack
expected from Attalos I in 218 BCE (P 5.77.2–9). Zo ̄puros also designed at Italian
Cumae a smaller device, the “mountain gastraphete ̄s” (Bito ̄n, pp. 65–67), probably for its
emergency defense against Hannibal in 215 BCE (Livy 23.35–37). Cf. H
T (M.), and other contemporary mechanics such as N, P-
R, P B, and T A, who
innovatively redeployed old technology.
RE S.15 (1978) 1556 (#19a), E. Fischer.
PTK
Zoroaster, pseudo (500 – 300 BCE)
Legendary character credited spuriously with numerous treatises, some of which treated
astrology, because of the renown of the Iranian Magi, frequently associated or confused
with the Chaldaeans. According to P (7.72) “magic” originated from Zoroaster’s medi-
cine. The legend of Zoroaster was developed in the Iranian (and later Islamic) framework,
as well as among Classical and Western authors: for example the late-Byzantine author
Ple ̄tho ̄n attributed the Oracula Chaldaica to Zoroaster.
Various astrological works in Arabic were attributed to Zoroaster. E.g., an astrological
ZOROASTER, PSEUDO