DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.800#0177
J 59
CHAPTEE VI.
Athens under the Romans—Embassy to Mithridates—Aristion—Apellicon—Athens
besieged by Sulla—Odeium burnt—Death of Aristion—Conduct of Sulla—Odeium
restored—Athens sides with Roman republicans—Brutus—Antony—Cleopatra—
Treatment of Athens by Augustus—New Agora—Tower of the Winds—Temple of
Roma and Augustus—Works of Agrippa—Athens under early emperors—Monu-
ment of Philopappus—Hadrian—His Works—Other Benefactions—The Antonines
—The Sophists—Deterioration of Athenians—Greek autonomy under the Romans
—Gladiators—Herode.s Atticus—Stadium—Odeium of Regilla—Pausanias—Attic
periegeta;—WTorks of Pausanias—His Travels—Method—By what gate he entered?
—Enneacrunos.
The Athenians had lived more than half a century in peace and
security under the Eoman domination, and might have continued to do
so had they not suffered themselves to be misled by a philosopher whose
doings form one of the strangest episodes in their history. Aristion, or
Athenion, for we find his name written both ways,1 was of servile origin,
but having inherited his master's property, he got himself illegally
enrolled an Attic citizen. He now professed himself a Peripatetic, and
having made a good deal of money by teaching in various places, returned
to Athens, where he procured an embassy to Mithridates Eupator, king of
Pontus, and succeeded by his address in completely insinuating himself
into the monarch's favour. Mithridates was then at the height of his
power, and Aristion, in his letters to the Athenians, painted it in such
glowing colours that he inspired them with the hope of throwing off the
Eoman yoke, and regaining their ancient liberty by the aid of so powerful
an ally. The extent to which he had dazzled them may be judged from
1 Athenseus, who gives the most ela-
borate account of his history (lib. v.
c. 47 sqq.), from Poseidonius, the Stoic
philosopher and instructor of Cicero, alone
calls him Athenion. All other writers
call him Aristion : Strab. p. 398; Pausan.
i. 20, 3; Plut, Syll. 12; Appian, B. M.
p. 189 sqq, &c. He may possibly have
changed his name, as Casaubon suggests
(ad Athen. 1. a).
CHAPTEE VI.
Athens under the Romans—Embassy to Mithridates—Aristion—Apellicon—Athens
besieged by Sulla—Odeium burnt—Death of Aristion—Conduct of Sulla—Odeium
restored—Athens sides with Roman republicans—Brutus—Antony—Cleopatra—
Treatment of Athens by Augustus—New Agora—Tower of the Winds—Temple of
Roma and Augustus—Works of Agrippa—Athens under early emperors—Monu-
ment of Philopappus—Hadrian—His Works—Other Benefactions—The Antonines
—The Sophists—Deterioration of Athenians—Greek autonomy under the Romans
—Gladiators—Herode.s Atticus—Stadium—Odeium of Regilla—Pausanias—Attic
periegeta;—WTorks of Pausanias—His Travels—Method—By what gate he entered?
—Enneacrunos.
The Athenians had lived more than half a century in peace and
security under the Eoman domination, and might have continued to do
so had they not suffered themselves to be misled by a philosopher whose
doings form one of the strangest episodes in their history. Aristion, or
Athenion, for we find his name written both ways,1 was of servile origin,
but having inherited his master's property, he got himself illegally
enrolled an Attic citizen. He now professed himself a Peripatetic, and
having made a good deal of money by teaching in various places, returned
to Athens, where he procured an embassy to Mithridates Eupator, king of
Pontus, and succeeded by his address in completely insinuating himself
into the monarch's favour. Mithridates was then at the height of his
power, and Aristion, in his letters to the Athenians, painted it in such
glowing colours that he inspired them with the hope of throwing off the
Eoman yoke, and regaining their ancient liberty by the aid of so powerful
an ally. The extent to which he had dazzled them may be judged from
1 Athenseus, who gives the most ela-
borate account of his history (lib. v.
c. 47 sqq.), from Poseidonius, the Stoic
philosopher and instructor of Cicero, alone
calls him Athenion. All other writers
call him Aristion : Strab. p. 398; Pausan.
i. 20, 3; Plut, Syll. 12; Appian, B. M.
p. 189 sqq, &c. He may possibly have
changed his name, as Casaubon suggests
(ad Athen. 1. a).