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Stoic philosopher, historian, and grammarian (1st century CE) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chaeremon of Alexandria (/kəˈriːmən, -mɒn/; Greek: Χαιρήμων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, gen.: Ancient Greek: Χαιρήμονος; fl. 1st century AD) was a Stoic philosopher and historian[1] who wrote on Egyptian mythology from a "typically Stoic" perspective.[2]
Chaeremon of Alexandria | |
---|---|
Χαιρήμων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς | |
Born | c. 1st century AD |
Died | before 96 AD |
Nationality | Ancient Egyptian |
Occupation | Ancient Egyptian priest |
Era | Ancient Roman philosophy |
Region | Roman Alexandria |
School | Stoicism |
Institutions | Mouseion |
Language | Ancient Greek |
Main interests | Ancient Egyptian religion |
According to the Suda, he was the head of the Alexandrian school of grammarians, and he may also have been head of the Museion.[2] He was probably one of the ambassadors to Claudius from Alexandria in 40 AD.[2] He also taught Nero, probably before 49 AD when Seneca the Younger became Nero's tutor.[2] He may have been the grandson of the Chaeremon who accompanied the Roman prefect Aelius Gallus on his tour of Egypt in 26 AD.[1] His father – about whom nothing is known – was called Leonidas, and he was probably born no later than 10 AD.[1]
One of the poems from Martial's eleventh book of Epigrams mocks Chaeremon; as Martial did not usually attack living figures Chaeremon presumably died before 96 AD when Epigrams XI was published.[2]
All of Chaeremon's works are lost, though a number of fragments are quoted by later authors.[2] Three titles are preserved: the History of Egypt, Hieroglyphika, and On Comets, with another fragment quoted from an unknown grammatical treatise of his.[2]
Josephus quotes an extensive fragment from Chaeremon's Egyptian history, in which he scornfully recounts and ridicules, in a manner similar to that of Manetho, the departure of the Jews from Egypt. Josephus boasts of having refuted Chaeremon as well as Manetho and others.[3] Chaeremon's history is also mentioned by Porphyry.[4] Chaeremon's description of Egypt recalls the ideas which Philo, Clement, Origen, and others introduced into the Old and the New Testament.[5] The asceticism especially, which he ascribes to the ancient Egyptian priests, is analogous to the description in Philo's work, "De Vita Contemplativa"; still there is no literary connection between the two authors.[6] Fragments of the "History of Egypt" may still exist in a treatise of Psellus published in 1877.[7][5]
According to the Suda, [8] another work of Chaeremon was entitled "Hieroglyphica," and probably contained interpretations of the hieroglyphics [9] while a third work may be the book "On the Comets" mentioned by Origen.[10] Origen also made use of other writings of Chaeremon that are now lost.[11][5]
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