Antiochus of Athens

Who is Antiochus of Athens?

Antiochus of Athens was an influential Hellenistic astrologer who flourished sometime in the 2nd century AD. There is some disagreement as to when he lived and wrote. Franz Cumont argued that he lived as early as the 1st century BC, while David Pingree placed him as late as the end of the 2nd century AD. The one agreed datum is that Antiochus is referenced by Porphyry, and so Antiochus must have lived before the death of Porphyry.

All the writings of Antiochus are now lost, but substantial fragments and extracts remain. The works ascribed to him are a Thesaurus, an Introduction to astrology, and also an astrological calendar, On the risings and settings of the starts in the 12 months of the year. Antiochus is extensively quoted or paraphrased by later writers, particularly the Neoplatonist Porphyry, and Rhetorius of Egypt. There is also a later Byzantine epitome, or summary, of his work. A parapegma or calendar of star risings and settings and weather changes is also extant.

Antiochus was influential upon later astrologers. Parts of his text were used as the basis for Porphyry's third-century Introduction to the Tetrabiblos of Ptolemy, as well as being quoted by Hephaistio of Thebes, Anonymous of 379 AD and Julius Firmicus Maternus.