Aristander of

Telmessos Telmessos or Telmessus ( Hittite: 𒆪𒉿𒆷𒉺𒀸𒊭 ''Kuwalapašša'', Lycian: 𐊗𐊁𐊍𐊁𐊂𐊁𐊛𐊆 ''Telebehi'', grc, Τελμησσός), also Telmissus ( grc, Τελμισσός), later Anastasiopolis ( grc, Αναστ� ...

( el, Αρίστανδρος ο Τελμησσεύς; born , ), a

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

from

Caria Caria (; from Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; tr, Karya) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionians, Ionian and Dorians, Dorian Greeks colonized the west of i ...

, was

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...

's favorite

seer In the United States, the efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) which is defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, a trade association, in its 2008 standard AHR ...

Life

Aristander belonged to the entourage of Alexander's father,

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

, in 357/6, when he correctly interpreted a dream as revealing Olympias' pregnancy. The ancient sources place him interpreting omens from the conqueror's birth to his death. Although details are variously given, and some incidents are fictitious, Aristander was clearly an influential presence during Alexander's campaigns, and played an important role in uplifting the morale of the

Macedon Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...

ian army. There are indications he wrote divinatory works, either before, during or after the expedition, although it is also possible these works were spuriously attributed.Heckel, pp. 45-46. "Aristander (Aristandros). Greek from Telmessus (Telmissus), Aristander accompanied Alexander as a seer of great renown. Born perhaps ca. 380 (thus Berve ii.62), Aristander was already in Philip's entourage in 357/6, when he correctly interpreted a dream revealing Olympias' pregnancy. During Alexander's campaigns he interpreted various omens for the King: the sweating of the statue of Orpheus; the toppling of the statue of Ariobarzanes; the actions of birds of Halicarnassus (A 1.25.6-8 relating to the plot of Alexander the Lyncestian) and at Gaza and at the founding of Alexandria in Egypt; bleeding bread or dreams about Heracles at Tyre; and oil at the Oxus. Aristander's services were also sought before and at Gaugamela, the Persian Gates, at the

Iaxartes The Syr Darya (, ),, , ; rus, Сырдарья́, Syrdarjja, p=sɨrdɐˈrʲja; fa, سيردريا, Sirdaryâ; tg, Сирдарё, Sirdaryo; tr, Seyhun, Siri Derya; ar, سيحون, Seyḥūn; uz, Sirdaryo, script-Latn/. historically known ...

. It is also said that Aristander and Cleomenes were instructed by Alexander to sacrifice on behalf of Cleitus' safety. Two other references to Aristander are almost certainly unhistorical: thirty days after Alexander's death Aristander was supposed to have predicted that the land that became home to his body would enjoy great prosperity, thus causing Ptolemy to bring it to Egypt; Aristander was also supposed to have predicted Lysimachus' kingship. Fränkel and Robinson 1929 believed that Aristander was a feature of Callisthenes' history and they attribute his disappearance after 328/7 to the historian's demise. It is more likely, however, that Aristander simply died of illness or old age during the campaign."

Aristander in the sources

A represents

Arrian Arrian of Nicomedia (; Greek: ''Arrianos''; la, Lucius Flavius Arrianus; ) was a Greek historian, public servant, military commander and philosopher of the Roman period. ''The Anabasis of Alexander'' by Arrian is considered the best ...

, P

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''P ...

, C Curtius, D

Diodorus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

, J

Justin Justin may refer to: People * Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin * Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire * Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Rom ...

, S

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

, I the ''

Itinerarium Alexandri The ''Itinerarium Alexandri'' ("The Journey of Alexander") is a 4th-century Latin ''Itinerarium'' - a travel guide in the form of a listing of cities, villages (vici) and other stops, on a journey with the intervening distances given. The text des ...

''. Passages in which Aristander is mentioned by name are marked with an asterisk (*). #

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

dreams he sealed up the womb of his wife Olympias, and that the seal bore a lion device. Aristander interprets the dream optimistically – that the child Olympias bore (

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

) would be lion-like and brave. (*P 2.2–3;

Ephorus Ephorus of Cyme (; grc-gre, Ἔφορος ὁ Κυμαῖος, ''Ephoros ho Kymaios''; c. 400330 BC) was an ancient Greek historian known for his universal history. Biography Information on his biography is limited. He was born in Cyme, A ...

, see ''

FGrH ''Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker'', commonly abbreviated ''FGrHist'' or ''FGrH'' (''Fragments of the Greek Historians''), is a collection by Felix Jacoby of the works of those ancient Greek historians whose works have been lost, but of w ...

'' 70, 217) # Statue of

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jaso ...

in Pieria sweats. Aristander interprets optimistically that it means Alexander will cause poets and musicians much sweat in reciting and celebrating his deeds. (*A 1.11.1–2; *P 14.5; I 17; Pseudo-Callisthenes, '' Alexander Romance'' 1.42) # Army comes across a fallen statue of Ariobarzanes, former satrap of

Phrygia In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, Φρυγία, ''Phrygía'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empires ...

. The seer “Alexander” ristander?interprets predicts the victory at Granicus. (D 17.17.6–7) # An insistent swallow bothers the drowsing Alexander at

Halicarnassus Halicarnassus (; grc, Ἁλικαρνᾱσσός ''Halikarnāssós'' or ''Alikarnāssós''; tr, Halikarnas; Carian: 𐊠𐊣𐊫𐊰 𐊴𐊠𐊥𐊵𐊫𐊰 ''alos k̂arnos'') was an ancient Greek city in Caria, in Anatolia. It was located i ...

. Aristander interprets the event to mean that a plot will be revealed to Alexander. (*A 1.25.6–8) # Macedonian soldiers engaged in the siege of Tyre discover that some of the ration bread is “bloody.” Aristander forecasts that Tyre will be taken (because the bread is bloody on the inside). (*C 4.2.14; 17.41.7) # Alexander dreams that

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive ...

invited him into Tyre. Aristander interprets this to mean that the city will be captured, but with Herculean effort. (*A 2.18.1, C 4.2.17) # Alexander, besieging Tyre, dreams about a mocking

satyr In Greek mythology, a satyr ( grc-gre, :wikt:σάτυρος, σάτυρος, sátyros, ), also known as a silenus or ''silenos'' ( grc-gre, :wikt:Σειληνός, σειληνός ), is a male List of nature deities, nature spirit with ears ...

. In Artemidorus Aristander and in P “seers” play with words (“sa tyros”="tyre is thine") to decide that Alexander will take the city. In Ps-Calisthenes the Satyr also gives him a cheese (“tyros”) to trample. (Artemidorus, ''Interpretation of Dreams'' 4.23–24; P 24.3–5; '' Alexander Romance'' 1.35; Artemidorus incident unnoticed by Jacoby) # Aristander, examining entrails, declares that Tyre will be taken that month, even though it is the last day. Alexander decrees a two-day change in the calendar, but then takes the city the same day. (*P 25.1–2) # During the siege of Gaza, a bird drops something on Alexander and is caught. Aristander predicts personal danger for Alexander that day, and is proven right. (*A 2.26.4–27.2; *C 4.6.10–13; *P 25.3–4; I 46–7) # Foundation of

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

. Alexander outlines city with barley meal. In P, S, I and ''Frag. Sab.'' birds descend upon it. Aristander projects a prosperous future. (*A 3.1.5–3.2.2; C 4.8.6; P 26.5–6; S 17.1.6; I 49; FGrH 151=Frag. Sab. 11; others) # Eclipse occurs twelve days before the

Battle of Gaugamela The Battle of Gaugamela (; grc, Γαυγάμηλα, translit=Gaugámela), also called the Battle of Arbela ( grc, Ἄρβηλα, translit=Árbela), took place in 331 BC between the forces of the Army of Macedon under Alexander the Great a ...

. Aristander (in A) or “Egyptian soothsayers” (in C) interpret the omen favorably. (*A 3.7.6; C 4.10.2–7; see P 31.4) # Alexander conducts sacrifices with Aristander the night before the Battle of Gaugamela. (*C 4.13.14–16; *P 31.4; ''

'' 148 = ''Pap. Oxyrch.'' 1798) # Aristander seen among Alexander's soldiers at Gaugamela. Points out an eagle directly above Alexander's head. (*C 4.15.26–27; *P 33.1–2) # Aristander sacrifices before crossing the

Tanais Tanais ( el, Τάναϊς ''Tánaïs''; russian: Танаис) was an Ancient Greece, ancient Greek city in the Don River (Russia), Don river delta, called the Maeotian Swamp, Maeotian marshes in classical antiquity. It was a bishopric as Tana ...

. He reports the omens are unfavorable. He is subsequently asked to sacrifice again and (in A) proclaims another unfavorable omen or (in C) changes his mind. C relates at length how Alexander rebukes Aristander for failing to report the first forecast directly to the king. (*A 4.4.3; 4.4.9, *C 7.7.8–9; 7.722–29, I 85) # Cleitus interrupts a sacrifice to sample some fruit, but the sheep follow him. Alexander orders Aristander and “Cleomantis the Spartan” to interpret the event. Both interpret the event pessimistically. (*P 50.2–4) # Alexander, having killed Cleitus, is consoled by Aristander, who “reminds” him of his prophecy (number 14). Alexander is cheered. (*P 52.1; see A 4.9.5) #

Petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...

is discovered. Aristander predicts that the oil portends success after toil. (*A 4.15.7–8, C 7.10.4; P 57.3; S 9.7.3; Athen. 42 f.; I 97) #

Lysimachus Lysimachus (; Greek: Λυσίμαχος, ''Lysimachos''; c. 360 BC – 281 BC) was a Thessalian officer and successor of Alexander the Great, who in 306 BC, became King of Thrace, Asia Minor and Macedon. Early life and career Lysimachus was b ...

blunders into the back of Alexander's spear. Alexander staunches the wound with his diadem. The bloody diadem impels Aristander to predict a troubled reign for Lysimachus. J has the event take place in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. (*

Appian Appian of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς ''Appianòs Alexandreús''; la, Appianus Alexandrinus; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who flourished during the reigns of Emperors of Rome Trajan, Hadr ...

, ''Syriaca'' 64; J 15.3.11–14) # Aristander scolds Macedonians for not dealing with Alexander's body, and predicts a bright future for the city that holds it. (* Aelian, ''Varia Historia'' 12.64)

Aristander's writings

Writings by Aristander are attested by:

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...

(''Natural History'' 17); Artemidorus (''Interpretation of Dreams'' 1.31, 4.23-24);

Origen Origen of Alexandria, ''Ōrigénēs''; Origen's Greek name ''Ōrigénēs'' () probably means "child of Horus" (from , "Horus", and , "born"). ( 185 – 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an Early Christianity, early Christian scholar, ...

(''

Contra Celsum ''Against Celsus'' (Greek: Κατὰ Κέλσου ''Kata Kelsou''; Latin: ''Contra Celsum''), preserved entirely in Greek, is a major apologetics work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, written in around 248 AD, countering the writings ...

'' 6.8.10); see Lucian (citation missing). It is possible that Aristander's writings were, instead, a product of an Aristandrian "school." Aristander's home town,

Telmessus Telmessos or Telmessus ( Hittite: 𒆪𒉿𒆷𒉺𒀸𒊭 ''Kuwalapašša'', Lycian: 𐊗𐊁𐊍𐊁𐊂𐊁𐊛𐊆 ''Telebehi'', grc, Τελμησσός), also Telmissus ( grc, Τελμισσός), later Anastasiopolis ( grc, Αναστ� ...

(modern Fethiye), was a proverbial font of seers. There may be some connection between the two items of "Successor Propaganda" (18–19, favoring Lysimachus and Ptolemy) and the rule of

Ptolemy I Epigone Ptolemy EpigonosBillows, ''Kings and colonists: aspects of Macedonian imperialism'', p.110 ( el, Πτολεμαίος ὁ Έπίγονος ''Ptolemaios Epigonos'', ''Epigonos'' i.e. the ''heir'', 299/298 BC–February 240 BC) was a Greek Prince fro ...

as dynast in Telmessos. Ptolemy as the son of

inherited his father's claims, but eventually made peace with

Ptolemy III Euergetes , predecessor = Ptolemy II , successor = Ptolemy IV , nebty = ''ḳn nḏtj-nṯrw jnb-mnḫ-n-tꜢmrj'Qen nedjtinetjeru inebmenekhentamery''The brave one who has protected the gods, a potent wall for The Beloved Land , nebty_hiero ...

and the

Ptolemaic dynasty The Ptolemaic dynasty (; grc, Πτολεμαῖοι, ''Ptolemaioi''), sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty (Λαγίδαι, ''Lagidae;'' after Ptolemy I's father, Lagus), was a Macedonian Greek royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic ...

References

Sources

* Berve, Helmut. ''Das Alexanderreich auf prosopographischer Grundlage''. Two volumes. C. H. Beck, München 1926, no. 117. * Gattinoni, F. L. "L'indovino Aristandro e l'eredità dei Telmessii", in M. Sordi (ed.), ''La profezia nel mondo antico'' (Milan 1993), pp. 123-38. . * Grunewalt, William Steven. "A Macedonian Mantis", ''AncW'' 5 (1982). * Heckel, Waldemar. ''Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire''. Blackwell Publishing, 2006. * King, Carole J. ''Alexander and Divination: Dreams, Omens, and Aristander of Telmessus in the Alexander Historians''. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Brown University, 2004. * Nice, Alex. "The reputation of the mantis Aristander", ''Acta Classica'' 48 (2005) (in honorem Prof. J.E.A. Atkinson). * Plezia, M. "De Aristandri vaticinio", ''Eos'' 59 (1971) 227-30. * Robinson, C. A. "The Seer Aristander", ''AJP'' 50 (1929). * Spalding, Tim. "Aristander the Prophet and the Alexander Historians" (Presentation at the 1997 meeting of the Classical Association of the Middle West and South).

External links

Wiki Classical Dictionary: Aristander of TelmessusPothos.org: ''Aristander''
biography by Marcus Pailing {{DEFAULTSORT:Aristander 4th-century BC Greek people 4th-century BC clergy Ancient Greek seers Ancient Greeks in Caria Seers of Alexander the Great Courtiers of Philip II of Macedon 4th-century BC deaths 380s BC births