Xenarchus ( el, Ξέναρχος; 1st century BC) of Seleucia in Cilicia, was a Greek Peripatetic philosopher and

grammarian Grammarian may refer to: * Alexandrine grammarians, philologists and textual scholars in Hellenistic Alexandria in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BCE * Biblical grammarians, scholars who study the Bible and the Hebrew language * Grammarian (Greco-Roman ...

. Xenarchus left home early, and devoted himself to the profession of teaching, first at Alexandria, afterwards at Athens, and last at Rome, where he enjoyed the friendship of

Arius Arius (; grc-koi, Ἄρειος, ; 250 or 256 – 336) was a Cyrenaic presbyter, ascetic, and priest best known for the doctrine of Arianism. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead in Christianity, which emphasized God the Father's un ...

, and afterwards of Augustus; and he was still living, in old age and honour, when

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 ...

wrote. Xenarchus disagreed with Aristotle on many issues. He denied the existence of the

aether Aether, æther or ether may refer to: Metaphysics and mythology * Aether (classical element), the material supposed to fill the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere * Aether (mythology), the personification of the "upper sky", sp ...

, composing a treatise entitled ''Against the Fifth Element''. He is also mentioned by Simplicius, by

Julian the Apostate Julian ( la, Flavius Claudius Julianus; grc-gre, Ἰουλιανός ; 331 – 26 June 363) was Roman emperor from 361 to 363, as well as a notable philosopher and author in Greek. His rejection of Christianity, and his promotion of Neoplato ...

, and by Alexander of Aphrodisias.Alexander Aphrodisiensis, ''de Anim.''

Notes

Bibliography

* Andrea Falcon, ''Aristotelianism in First Century. Xenarchus of Seleucia'', Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011. {{authority control 1st-century BC Greek people Ancient Greek grammarians Roman-era Peripatetic philosophers Roman-era philosophers in Athens Roman-era philosophers in Rome Roman-era philosophers in Alexandria