On a certain day, the image
the Libyan desert; the worship was also established of the god was carried across the river Nile into
in Cyrenaica.
the Libyan desert; the worship was also established of the god was carried across the river Nile into
in Cyrenaica.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
pp.
486, 487, 493, ed.
Chart.
) Some (Jacobs, vol.
iv.
p.
127, No.
42, and vol.
xiii.
fragments of the works of a surgeon named p. 125), we find that he was contemporary with
Amyntas (of which name Amentes is very possibly the sophist Antonius Polemo, who flourished under
a corruption) still exist in the manuscript Collec-Trajan and Hadrian. (Jacobs, Anthol. Graec. xi.
tion of Surgical Writers by Nicetas (Fabricius, pp. 312, 313, xiii. p. 840. )
[P. S. )
Bibl. Gr. vol. xii. p. 778, ed. vet. ), and one ex- AMMIANUS MARCELLI'NUS, “the last
tract is preserved by Oribasius (Coll. Medic. xlviii. subject of Rome who composed a profane history
30) in the fourth volume of Cardinal Mai's Collec- in the Latin language,” was by birth a Greek, as
tion of Classici Auctores e Vaticanis Codicibus, p. he himself frequently declares (xxxi. sub fin. ,
99, Rom. 1831, 8vo. His date is unknown, ex- xxii. 8. § 33, xxiii. 6. & 20, &c. ), and a native of
cept that he must have lived in or before the second Syrian Antioch, as we infer from a letter addressed
century after Christ. He may perhaps be the same to him by Libanius. (See Vales. praef. in Ammiun.
person who is said by the Scholiast on Theocritus Marcellin. ) At an early age he embraced the pro
(idyll. xvii. 128) to have been put to death by fession of arms, and was admitted among the
Ptolemy Philadelphus, about B. c. 264, for plotting protectores domestici, which proves that he belonged
against his life.
(W. A. G. ) to a distinguished family, since none were enrolled
AME’RIAS ('Aueplas), of Macedonia, a gram- in that corps except young men of noble blood, or
marian, who wrote a work entitled raooal, officers whose valour and fidelity had been proved
which gave an account of the meaning of words, in long service. Of his subsequent promotion no-
and another called 'PISOTOMIKOS. (Athen. iv. p. thing is known. He was attached to the staff of
P.
## p. 143 (#163) ############################################
AMMIANUS.
143
AMMIANUS.
Ursicinus, one of the most able among the generals | mosquitoes (xviii. 7), and his horticultural essay
of Constantius, and accompanied him to the East on the impregnation of palms (xxiv. 3). But in
in 350. He returned with his commander to Italy addition to industry in rescarch and honesty of
four years afterwards, from thence passed over into purpose, he was gifted with a large measure of
Gaul, and assisted in the enterprise against Sylva- strong common sense which enabled him in many
uus, again followed Ursicinus when despatched for points to rise superior to the prejudice of his day,
a second time to the East, and appears to have and with a clear-sighted independence of spirit
never quitted him until the period of his final dis- which prevented him from being dazzled or over-
grace in 360. Ammianus subsequently attended awed by the brilliancy and the terrors which en-
the emperor Julian in his campaign against the veloped the imperial throne. The wretched
Persians, was present at Antioch in 371, when the vanity, weakness, and debauchery of Constantius,
plot of Theodorus was detected in the reign of rendering him an easy prey to the designs of the
Valens, and witnessed the tortures inflicted upon profligate minions by whom be was surrounded,
the conspirators. (xxix. i. § 24. ). Eventually the female intrigues which ruled the court of
he established himself at Rome, where he com- Gallus, and the conflicting elements of vice and
posed his history, and during the progress of the virtue which were so strongly combined in the cha-
task read several portions publicly, which were racter of Valentinian, are all sketched with bold-
received with great applause. (Liban. Epist. ness, vigour, and truth. But although sufficiently
DCCCCLXXXIII. p. 60, ed. Wolf. ) The precise date acute in detecting and exposing the follies of others,
of his death is not recorded, but it must have hap and especially in ridiculing the absurdities of po-
pened later than 390, since a reference occurs to pular superstition, Ammianus did not entirely
the consulship of Neoterius, which belongs to that escape the contagion. The general and deep
year.
seated belief in magic spells, omens, prodigies, and
The work of Ammianus extended from the ac- oracles, which appears to have gained additional
cession of Nerva, A. D. 96, the point at which the strength upon the first introduction of Christianity,
histories of Tacitus and the biographies of Sueto-evidently exercised do small influence over liis
nius terminated, to the death of Valens, A. D. 378, mind. The old legends and doctrines of the Pagan
comprising a period of 282 years. It was divided creed and the subtle mysticism which philosophers
into thirty-one books, of which the first thirteen pretended to discover lurking below, when mixed
are lost. The remaining eighteen embrace the acts up with the pure and simple but startling tenets of
of Constantius from A. D. 353, the seventeenth year the new faith, formed a confused mass which few
of his reign, together with the whole career of intellects, except those of the very highest class,
Gallus, Julianus, Jovianus, Valentinianus, and could reduce to order and harmony.
Valens. The portion preserved includes the trans- A keen controversy has been maintained with
actions of twenty-five years only, which proves regard to the religious creed of our author. (See
that the earlier books must have presented a very Bayle. ) There is nothing in his writings which
condensed abridgment of the events contained in can entitle us to decide the question positively. In
the long space over which they stretched; and several passages he speaks with marked respect of
hence we may feel satisfied, that what has been Christianity and its professors (xxi. sub fin. , xxii.
saved is much more valuable than what has pe 11, xxvii. 3 ; compare xxii. 12, xxv. 4); but even
rished.
his strongest expressions, which are all attributed
Gibbon (cap. xxvi. ) pays a well-deserved tri- | by Gibbon “ to the incomparable pliancy of a
bute to the accuracy, fidelity, and impartiality of polytheist," afford no conclusive evidence that he
Ammianus. We are indebted to him for a know- was himself a disciple of the cross. On the other
ledge of many important facts not elsewhere re band he does not scruple to stigmatize with the
corded, and for much valuable insight into the utmost severity the savage fury of the contending
modes of thought and the general tone of public sects (xxii. 5), nor fail to reprobate the bloody vio-
feeling prevalent in his day. His history must not, lence of Damasus and Ursinus in the contest for
however, be regarded as a complete chronicle of that the see of Rome (xxvii. 3): the absence of all
era; those proceedings only are brought forward censure on the apostacy of Julian, and the terms
prominently in which he himself was engaged, and which he employs with regard to Nemesis (xiv.
nearly all the statements admitted appear to be 11, xxii. 3), the Genius (xxi. 14), Mercurius (xvi.
founded upon his own observations, or upon the in-5, xxv. 4), and other deities, are by many con-
formation derived from trustworthy eye witnesses. sidered as decisive proofs that he was a pagan.
A considerable number of dissertations and digres Indeed, as Heyne justly remarks, many of the
sions are introduced, many of them highly interest writers of this epoch seem purposely to avoid
ing and valuable. Such are his notices of the committing themselves. Being probably devoid of
institutions and manners of the Saracens (xiv. 4), strong religious principles, they felt unwilling to
of the Scythians and Sarmatians (xvii. 12), of the hazard any declaration which might one day ex-
Huns and Alani (xxxi. 2), of the Egyptians and pose them to persecution and prevent them from
their country. (xxii. 6, 14–16), and his geogra- adopting the various forms which the faith of the
phical discussions upou Gaul (xv. 9), the Pontus court might from time to time assume.
(xxii. 8), and Thrace (xxvii. 4), although the Little can be said in praise of the style of Am-
accuracy of many of his details bas been called in mianus. The melodious flow and simple dignity
question by D'Anville. Less legitimate and less of the purer models of composition had long
judicious are his geological speculations upon earth- ceased to be relished, and we too often detect the
quakes (xvii. 7), his astronomical inquiries into harsh diction and involved periods of an imperfectly
eclipses (xx. 3), comets (xxv. 10), and the regu- educated foreign soldier, relieved occasionally by the
lation of the calendar (xxvi. 1), his medical re-pompous inflation and flashy glitter of the rhetori-
searches into the origin of epidemics (xix. 4), his cal schools. His phraseology as it regards the sig-
zoological theory on the destruction of lions by nification, grammatical intiexions, and syntactica
## p. 144 (#164) ############################################
144
AMMON.
AMMON.
combinations of words, probably represents the cur- | $ 5) and Eustathius (ad Diunys. Perieg. 212) ne
rent language of the age, but must be pronounced mark, as well as one of the many etymologies of the
full of barbarisms and solecisms when judged ac- name of Ammon from the Egyptian word Amoni,
cording to the standard of Cicero and Livy. which signifies a shepherd, or to feed, likewise
The Editio Princeps of Ammianus Marcellinus, accord with the opinion that Ammon was originally
edited by Angelus Sabinus, was printed at Rome, the leader and protector of flocks. Herodotus re-
in folio, by George Sachsel and Barth. Golsch in lates a story to account for the ram's head (ii. 42):
the year 1474. It is very incorrect, and conuins Heracles wanted to see Zeus, but the latter wished
13 books only, from the ]4th to the 26th, both to avoid the interview; when, however, Heracles
inclusive. The remaining five were first published at last had recourse to entreaties, Zeus contrived
by Accorsi, who, in his edition printed in folio at the following expedient: he cut off the head of a
Augsburg in 1532, boasts that he had corrected ram, and holding this before his own head, and
tive thousand errors.
having covered the remaining part of his body
The most useful modern editions are those of with the skin of the ram, he appeared before Hera-
Gronovius, 4to. , Lugd. Bat. 1693; of Ernesti, 8vo. cles. Hence, Herodotus adds, the Thebans never
Lips. , 1773; but above all, that which was com- sacrifice rams except once a year, and on this one
menced by Wagner, completed after his death by occasion they kill and fay a ram, and with its skin
Erfurds, and published at Leipsic, in 3 vols. 8vo. they dress ibe statue of Zeus (Ammon); by the
1808.
(W. R. ) side of this statue they then place that of Heracles.
AMMON ('Auuwv), originally an Aethiopian A similar account mentioned by Servius (ad Aen.
or Libyan divinity, whose worship subsequently iv. 196) may serve as a commentary upon Herodotus.
spread all over Egypt, a part of the northern coast When Bacchus, or according to others, Heracles,
of Africa, and many parts of Greece. The real went to India and led his army through the deserts
Egyptian name was Amun or Ammun (Herod. ii. of Libya, he was at last quite exhausted with
42; Plut. de Is. et Os. 9); the Greeks called him thirst, and invoked his father, Jupiter. Hereupon
Zeus Ammon, the Romans Jupiter Ammon, and a ram appeared, which led Heracles to a place
the Hebrews Amon. (Jerem. xlvi. 25. ) That in the where it opened a spring in the sand by scraping
countries where his worship was first established with its foot. For this reason, says Servius,
he was revered in certain respects as the supreme Jupiter Ammon, whose name is derived from
divinity, is clear from the fact, that the Greeks duuos (sand), is represented with the horns of a
recognised in him their own Zeus, although the ram. (Comp. Hygin. Fab. 133, Poet. Astr. i. 20;
identity of the two gods in later times rests upon Lucan, Pharsal. ix. 511. ) There are several other
philosophical speculations, made at a period when traditions, with various modifications arising from
the original character of Ammon was almost lost the time and place of their origin ; but all agree in
sight of, and a more spiritual view of him substi- representing the ram as the guide and deliverer of
tuted in its place.
the wandering herds or herdsmen in the deserts,
The most ancient seat of his worship appears to either in a direct way, or by giving oracles. Am-
have been Meroe, where he had a much revered mon, therefore, who is identical with the ram, jo
oracle (Herod. ii. 29); thence it was introduced the guide and protector of man and of all his pos-
into Egypt, where the worship took the firmest sessions; he stands in the same relation to man-
root at Thebes in Upper Egypt, which was there- kind as the common ram to his flock.
fore frequently called by the Greeks Diospolis, or The introduction of the worship of Ammon from
the city of Zeus. (Herod. ii. 42; Diod. i. 15. ) Aethiopia into Egypt was symbolically represented
Another famous seat of the god, with a celebrated in a ceremony which was performed at Thebes
oracle, was in the oasis of Ammonium (Siwalı) in once in every year.
On a certain day, the image
the Libyan desert; the worship was also established of the god was carried across the river Nile into
in Cyrenaica. (Paus. x. 13. § 3. ) The god was Libya, and after some days it was brought back, as
represented either in the form of a ram, or as a if the god had arrived from Aethiopia. (Diod. i. 97. )
human being with the head of a ram (Herod. I. c. ; | The same account is given by Eustathius (ad Hom.
Strab. xvii. p. 812); but there are some represen- | 11. v. p. 128), though in a somewhat different form;
tations in which he appears altogether as a human for he relates, that according to some, the Aethio-
being with only the horns of a ram. Tertullian pians used to fetch the images of Zeus and other
(de Pall
. 3) calls him dives ovium. If we take all gods from the great temple of Zeus at Thebes.
these circumstances into consideration, it seems With these images they went about, at a certain
clear that the original idea of Ammon was that of period, in Libya, celebrated a splendid festival for
a protector and leader of the flocks. The Aethio iwelve days--for this, he adds, is the number of
pians were a nomadic people, flocks of sheep con- the gods they worship. This number twelve con-
stituted their principal wealth, and it is perfectly tains an allusion to the number of signs in the
in accordance with the notions of the Aethiopians zodiac, of which the ram (caper) is one. Thus we
as well as Egyptians to worship the animal which arrive at the second phasis in the character of
is the leader and protector of the flock. This view | Ammon, who is here conceived as the sun in the
is supported by various stories about Ammon. sign of Caper. (Zeus disguised in the skin of a ram.
Hyginus (Poet. Astr. i. 20) whose account is only See Hygin. Fab. 133, Poet. Astr. i. 20 ; Macrob.
a rationalistic interpretation of the origin of the Sat. i. 21. 18; Aelian, V. H. x. 18. ) This astra
god's worship, relates that some African of the nomical character of Ammon is of later origin, and
name of Ammon brought to Liber, who was then perhaps not older than the sixth century before
in possession of Egypi, a large quantity of cattle Christ. The speculating Greeks of still later times
In return for this, Liber gave him a piece of land assigned to Ammon a more spiritual nature. Thus
near Thebes, and in commemoration of the benefits Diodorus, though in a passage (iii. 68, &c. ) he
Le had conferred upon the god, he was represented as makes Ammon a king of Libya, describes him (i.
a human being with horns. What Pausanias(iv. 23. / 11, &c. ) as the spirit pervading the universe, and
## p. 145 (#165) ############################################
AMMONAS.
145
AMMONIUS.
ment.
as the author of all life in nature. (Comp. Plut. de year. (Ibid. and Pallad. Hist. Laus. c. 7 ; Ruffin.
Is. et Os. 9, 21. ). The new Platonists perceived Vi. Putr. c. 29. ) He died before St. Antony (froni
in Ammon their demiurgos, that is, the creator and whom there is an epistle to him, S. Athan. Opp. vol.
preserver of the world. As this subject belongs i. pt. 2, p. 959, ed. Bened. ), i. e. before A. D. 365,
P
more especially to the mythology of Egypt, we for the latter asserted that he beheld the soul of
cannot here enter into a detailed discussion about Amoun borne by angels to heaven (Vit. S. Antonii à
the nature and character which the later Greeks S. Athanas. $ 60), and as St. Athanasius's history
assigned to him, or his connexion with Dionysus of St. Antony preserves the order of time, he died
and Heracles. Respecting these points and the perhaps about A. D. 320. There are seventeen or
various opinions of modern critics, as well as the nineteen Rules of Asceticism (Kepalaia) ascribed to
different representations of Ammon still extant, him ; the Greek original exists in MS. (Lambecius,
the reader may consult Jablonsky, Pantheon Aegypt. ; Biblioth. Vindol. lib. iv. cod. 156, No. 6); they are
Bohlen, Das alte Indien, mit besonderer Rücksicht published in the Latin version of Gerhard Vossius
auf Egypten, ii. c. 2. & 9; J. C. Prichard, Egyptian in the Biblioth. PP. Ascetica, vol. ii. p. 484, Paris.
Mythology; J. F. Champollion, Panthéon Egyptien, 1661. Tuenty-tvo Ascetic Institutions of the same
ou Collection des Personages de l'ancienne Egypte, &c. , Amoun, or one bearing the same name, exist also
Paris, 1823.
in MS. (Lambec. I. c. Cod. 155, No. 2. ) (A. J. C. ]
The worship of Ammon was introduced into AMMONIA ('Auuwvía), a surname of Heras,
Greece at an early period, probably through the under which she was worshipped in Elis. The
medium of the Greek colony in Cyrene, which inhabitants of Elis had from the earliest times
must bave formed a connexion with the great ora- been in the habit of consulting the oracle of Zeus
cle of Ammon in the Oasis soon after its establish-Ammon in Libya. (Paus. v. 15. $ 7. ) (L. S. )
Ammon had a temple and a statue, the AMMONIANUS ('Αμμωνιανός), & Greek
gift of Pindar, at Thebes (Paus. ix. 16. § 1), and grammarian, who lived in the fifth century after
another at Sparta, the inhabitants of wbich, as Christ. He was a relation and a friend of the phi-
Pausanias (iii. 18. $ 2) says, consulted the oracle losopher Syrianus, and devoted his attention to
of Ammon in Libya from early times more than the study of the Greek poets. It is recorded of
the other Greeks. At Apbytis, Ammon was wor- him that he had an ass, which became so fond of
shipped, from the time of Lysander, as zealously as poetry from listening to its master, that it neglect-
in Ammonium. Pindar the poet honoured the god ed its food. (Damascius, ap. Phot. p. 339, a. , ed.
with a hymn. At Megalopolis the god was repre- Bekker; Suid. s. v. 'Ajuwviavós and Ovos Núpas. )
sented with the head of a ram (Paus. viii. 32. § 1), AMMO'NIUS, a favourite of ALEXANDER
and the Greeks of Cyrenaica dedicated at Delphi a Balas, king of Syria, to whom Alexander entrust-
chariot with a statue of Ammon. (x. 13. & 3. ) The ed the entire management of public affairs. Am-
homagie vhich Alexander paid to the god in the monius was avaricious and cruel; he put to death
Oasis iis vell known.
(L. S. ] numerous friends of the king, the queen Laodice,
AMMON ("Aquar), a geometrician, who made and Antigonus, the son of Demetrius. Being de
a mea'surement of the walls of Rome, about the tected in plotting against the life of Ptolemy Phi-
time of the first invasion of the Goths, and found lometor, about B. c. 147, the latter required
them to b: 21 miles in circuit. (Olympiodorus, Alexander to surrender Ammonius to him; but
ap. Phot. Cod. 80, p. 63, ed. Bekker. ) [P. S. ] though Alexander refused to do this, Ammonius
AMMON (Amuw). 1. Bishop of Hadrianople, was put to death by the inhabitants of Antioch,
A. D. 400, vrote (in Greek) On the Resurrection whom Ptolemy had induced to espouse his cause.
against Origenism (not extant). A fragment of (Liv. Epit. 50; Joseph. Ant. xiii. 4. § 5; Diod.
Ammon, from this work possibly, may be found ap.
fragments of the works of a surgeon named p. 125), we find that he was contemporary with
Amyntas (of which name Amentes is very possibly the sophist Antonius Polemo, who flourished under
a corruption) still exist in the manuscript Collec-Trajan and Hadrian. (Jacobs, Anthol. Graec. xi.
tion of Surgical Writers by Nicetas (Fabricius, pp. 312, 313, xiii. p. 840. )
[P. S. )
Bibl. Gr. vol. xii. p. 778, ed. vet. ), and one ex- AMMIANUS MARCELLI'NUS, “the last
tract is preserved by Oribasius (Coll. Medic. xlviii. subject of Rome who composed a profane history
30) in the fourth volume of Cardinal Mai's Collec- in the Latin language,” was by birth a Greek, as
tion of Classici Auctores e Vaticanis Codicibus, p. he himself frequently declares (xxxi. sub fin. ,
99, Rom. 1831, 8vo. His date is unknown, ex- xxii. 8. § 33, xxiii. 6. & 20, &c. ), and a native of
cept that he must have lived in or before the second Syrian Antioch, as we infer from a letter addressed
century after Christ. He may perhaps be the same to him by Libanius. (See Vales. praef. in Ammiun.
person who is said by the Scholiast on Theocritus Marcellin. ) At an early age he embraced the pro
(idyll. xvii. 128) to have been put to death by fession of arms, and was admitted among the
Ptolemy Philadelphus, about B. c. 264, for plotting protectores domestici, which proves that he belonged
against his life.
(W. A. G. ) to a distinguished family, since none were enrolled
AME’RIAS ('Aueplas), of Macedonia, a gram- in that corps except young men of noble blood, or
marian, who wrote a work entitled raooal, officers whose valour and fidelity had been proved
which gave an account of the meaning of words, in long service. Of his subsequent promotion no-
and another called 'PISOTOMIKOS. (Athen. iv. p. thing is known. He was attached to the staff of
P.
## p. 143 (#163) ############################################
AMMIANUS.
143
AMMIANUS.
Ursicinus, one of the most able among the generals | mosquitoes (xviii. 7), and his horticultural essay
of Constantius, and accompanied him to the East on the impregnation of palms (xxiv. 3). But in
in 350. He returned with his commander to Italy addition to industry in rescarch and honesty of
four years afterwards, from thence passed over into purpose, he was gifted with a large measure of
Gaul, and assisted in the enterprise against Sylva- strong common sense which enabled him in many
uus, again followed Ursicinus when despatched for points to rise superior to the prejudice of his day,
a second time to the East, and appears to have and with a clear-sighted independence of spirit
never quitted him until the period of his final dis- which prevented him from being dazzled or over-
grace in 360. Ammianus subsequently attended awed by the brilliancy and the terrors which en-
the emperor Julian in his campaign against the veloped the imperial throne. The wretched
Persians, was present at Antioch in 371, when the vanity, weakness, and debauchery of Constantius,
plot of Theodorus was detected in the reign of rendering him an easy prey to the designs of the
Valens, and witnessed the tortures inflicted upon profligate minions by whom be was surrounded,
the conspirators. (xxix. i. § 24. ). Eventually the female intrigues which ruled the court of
he established himself at Rome, where he com- Gallus, and the conflicting elements of vice and
posed his history, and during the progress of the virtue which were so strongly combined in the cha-
task read several portions publicly, which were racter of Valentinian, are all sketched with bold-
received with great applause. (Liban. Epist. ness, vigour, and truth. But although sufficiently
DCCCCLXXXIII. p. 60, ed. Wolf. ) The precise date acute in detecting and exposing the follies of others,
of his death is not recorded, but it must have hap and especially in ridiculing the absurdities of po-
pened later than 390, since a reference occurs to pular superstition, Ammianus did not entirely
the consulship of Neoterius, which belongs to that escape the contagion. The general and deep
year.
seated belief in magic spells, omens, prodigies, and
The work of Ammianus extended from the ac- oracles, which appears to have gained additional
cession of Nerva, A. D. 96, the point at which the strength upon the first introduction of Christianity,
histories of Tacitus and the biographies of Sueto-evidently exercised do small influence over liis
nius terminated, to the death of Valens, A. D. 378, mind. The old legends and doctrines of the Pagan
comprising a period of 282 years. It was divided creed and the subtle mysticism which philosophers
into thirty-one books, of which the first thirteen pretended to discover lurking below, when mixed
are lost. The remaining eighteen embrace the acts up with the pure and simple but startling tenets of
of Constantius from A. D. 353, the seventeenth year the new faith, formed a confused mass which few
of his reign, together with the whole career of intellects, except those of the very highest class,
Gallus, Julianus, Jovianus, Valentinianus, and could reduce to order and harmony.
Valens. The portion preserved includes the trans- A keen controversy has been maintained with
actions of twenty-five years only, which proves regard to the religious creed of our author. (See
that the earlier books must have presented a very Bayle. ) There is nothing in his writings which
condensed abridgment of the events contained in can entitle us to decide the question positively. In
the long space over which they stretched; and several passages he speaks with marked respect of
hence we may feel satisfied, that what has been Christianity and its professors (xxi. sub fin. , xxii.
saved is much more valuable than what has pe 11, xxvii. 3 ; compare xxii. 12, xxv. 4); but even
rished.
his strongest expressions, which are all attributed
Gibbon (cap. xxvi. ) pays a well-deserved tri- | by Gibbon “ to the incomparable pliancy of a
bute to the accuracy, fidelity, and impartiality of polytheist," afford no conclusive evidence that he
Ammianus. We are indebted to him for a know- was himself a disciple of the cross. On the other
ledge of many important facts not elsewhere re band he does not scruple to stigmatize with the
corded, and for much valuable insight into the utmost severity the savage fury of the contending
modes of thought and the general tone of public sects (xxii. 5), nor fail to reprobate the bloody vio-
feeling prevalent in his day. His history must not, lence of Damasus and Ursinus in the contest for
however, be regarded as a complete chronicle of that the see of Rome (xxvii. 3): the absence of all
era; those proceedings only are brought forward censure on the apostacy of Julian, and the terms
prominently in which he himself was engaged, and which he employs with regard to Nemesis (xiv.
nearly all the statements admitted appear to be 11, xxii. 3), the Genius (xxi. 14), Mercurius (xvi.
founded upon his own observations, or upon the in-5, xxv. 4), and other deities, are by many con-
formation derived from trustworthy eye witnesses. sidered as decisive proofs that he was a pagan.
A considerable number of dissertations and digres Indeed, as Heyne justly remarks, many of the
sions are introduced, many of them highly interest writers of this epoch seem purposely to avoid
ing and valuable. Such are his notices of the committing themselves. Being probably devoid of
institutions and manners of the Saracens (xiv. 4), strong religious principles, they felt unwilling to
of the Scythians and Sarmatians (xvii. 12), of the hazard any declaration which might one day ex-
Huns and Alani (xxxi. 2), of the Egyptians and pose them to persecution and prevent them from
their country. (xxii. 6, 14–16), and his geogra- adopting the various forms which the faith of the
phical discussions upou Gaul (xv. 9), the Pontus court might from time to time assume.
(xxii. 8), and Thrace (xxvii. 4), although the Little can be said in praise of the style of Am-
accuracy of many of his details bas been called in mianus. The melodious flow and simple dignity
question by D'Anville. Less legitimate and less of the purer models of composition had long
judicious are his geological speculations upon earth- ceased to be relished, and we too often detect the
quakes (xvii. 7), his astronomical inquiries into harsh diction and involved periods of an imperfectly
eclipses (xx. 3), comets (xxv. 10), and the regu- educated foreign soldier, relieved occasionally by the
lation of the calendar (xxvi. 1), his medical re-pompous inflation and flashy glitter of the rhetori-
searches into the origin of epidemics (xix. 4), his cal schools. His phraseology as it regards the sig-
zoological theory on the destruction of lions by nification, grammatical intiexions, and syntactica
## p. 144 (#164) ############################################
144
AMMON.
AMMON.
combinations of words, probably represents the cur- | $ 5) and Eustathius (ad Diunys. Perieg. 212) ne
rent language of the age, but must be pronounced mark, as well as one of the many etymologies of the
full of barbarisms and solecisms when judged ac- name of Ammon from the Egyptian word Amoni,
cording to the standard of Cicero and Livy. which signifies a shepherd, or to feed, likewise
The Editio Princeps of Ammianus Marcellinus, accord with the opinion that Ammon was originally
edited by Angelus Sabinus, was printed at Rome, the leader and protector of flocks. Herodotus re-
in folio, by George Sachsel and Barth. Golsch in lates a story to account for the ram's head (ii. 42):
the year 1474. It is very incorrect, and conuins Heracles wanted to see Zeus, but the latter wished
13 books only, from the ]4th to the 26th, both to avoid the interview; when, however, Heracles
inclusive. The remaining five were first published at last had recourse to entreaties, Zeus contrived
by Accorsi, who, in his edition printed in folio at the following expedient: he cut off the head of a
Augsburg in 1532, boasts that he had corrected ram, and holding this before his own head, and
tive thousand errors.
having covered the remaining part of his body
The most useful modern editions are those of with the skin of the ram, he appeared before Hera-
Gronovius, 4to. , Lugd. Bat. 1693; of Ernesti, 8vo. cles. Hence, Herodotus adds, the Thebans never
Lips. , 1773; but above all, that which was com- sacrifice rams except once a year, and on this one
menced by Wagner, completed after his death by occasion they kill and fay a ram, and with its skin
Erfurds, and published at Leipsic, in 3 vols. 8vo. they dress ibe statue of Zeus (Ammon); by the
1808.
(W. R. ) side of this statue they then place that of Heracles.
AMMON ('Auuwv), originally an Aethiopian A similar account mentioned by Servius (ad Aen.
or Libyan divinity, whose worship subsequently iv. 196) may serve as a commentary upon Herodotus.
spread all over Egypt, a part of the northern coast When Bacchus, or according to others, Heracles,
of Africa, and many parts of Greece. The real went to India and led his army through the deserts
Egyptian name was Amun or Ammun (Herod. ii. of Libya, he was at last quite exhausted with
42; Plut. de Is. et Os. 9); the Greeks called him thirst, and invoked his father, Jupiter. Hereupon
Zeus Ammon, the Romans Jupiter Ammon, and a ram appeared, which led Heracles to a place
the Hebrews Amon. (Jerem. xlvi. 25. ) That in the where it opened a spring in the sand by scraping
countries where his worship was first established with its foot. For this reason, says Servius,
he was revered in certain respects as the supreme Jupiter Ammon, whose name is derived from
divinity, is clear from the fact, that the Greeks duuos (sand), is represented with the horns of a
recognised in him their own Zeus, although the ram. (Comp. Hygin. Fab. 133, Poet. Astr. i. 20;
identity of the two gods in later times rests upon Lucan, Pharsal. ix. 511. ) There are several other
philosophical speculations, made at a period when traditions, with various modifications arising from
the original character of Ammon was almost lost the time and place of their origin ; but all agree in
sight of, and a more spiritual view of him substi- representing the ram as the guide and deliverer of
tuted in its place.
the wandering herds or herdsmen in the deserts,
The most ancient seat of his worship appears to either in a direct way, or by giving oracles. Am-
have been Meroe, where he had a much revered mon, therefore, who is identical with the ram, jo
oracle (Herod. ii. 29); thence it was introduced the guide and protector of man and of all his pos-
into Egypt, where the worship took the firmest sessions; he stands in the same relation to man-
root at Thebes in Upper Egypt, which was there- kind as the common ram to his flock.
fore frequently called by the Greeks Diospolis, or The introduction of the worship of Ammon from
the city of Zeus. (Herod. ii. 42; Diod. i. 15. ) Aethiopia into Egypt was symbolically represented
Another famous seat of the god, with a celebrated in a ceremony which was performed at Thebes
oracle, was in the oasis of Ammonium (Siwalı) in once in every year.
On a certain day, the image
the Libyan desert; the worship was also established of the god was carried across the river Nile into
in Cyrenaica. (Paus. x. 13. § 3. ) The god was Libya, and after some days it was brought back, as
represented either in the form of a ram, or as a if the god had arrived from Aethiopia. (Diod. i. 97. )
human being with the head of a ram (Herod. I. c. ; | The same account is given by Eustathius (ad Hom.
Strab. xvii. p. 812); but there are some represen- | 11. v. p. 128), though in a somewhat different form;
tations in which he appears altogether as a human for he relates, that according to some, the Aethio-
being with only the horns of a ram. Tertullian pians used to fetch the images of Zeus and other
(de Pall
. 3) calls him dives ovium. If we take all gods from the great temple of Zeus at Thebes.
these circumstances into consideration, it seems With these images they went about, at a certain
clear that the original idea of Ammon was that of period, in Libya, celebrated a splendid festival for
a protector and leader of the flocks. The Aethio iwelve days--for this, he adds, is the number of
pians were a nomadic people, flocks of sheep con- the gods they worship. This number twelve con-
stituted their principal wealth, and it is perfectly tains an allusion to the number of signs in the
in accordance with the notions of the Aethiopians zodiac, of which the ram (caper) is one. Thus we
as well as Egyptians to worship the animal which arrive at the second phasis in the character of
is the leader and protector of the flock. This view | Ammon, who is here conceived as the sun in the
is supported by various stories about Ammon. sign of Caper. (Zeus disguised in the skin of a ram.
Hyginus (Poet. Astr. i. 20) whose account is only See Hygin. Fab. 133, Poet. Astr. i. 20 ; Macrob.
a rationalistic interpretation of the origin of the Sat. i. 21. 18; Aelian, V. H. x. 18. ) This astra
god's worship, relates that some African of the nomical character of Ammon is of later origin, and
name of Ammon brought to Liber, who was then perhaps not older than the sixth century before
in possession of Egypi, a large quantity of cattle Christ. The speculating Greeks of still later times
In return for this, Liber gave him a piece of land assigned to Ammon a more spiritual nature. Thus
near Thebes, and in commemoration of the benefits Diodorus, though in a passage (iii. 68, &c. ) he
Le had conferred upon the god, he was represented as makes Ammon a king of Libya, describes him (i.
a human being with horns. What Pausanias(iv. 23. / 11, &c. ) as the spirit pervading the universe, and
## p. 145 (#165) ############################################
AMMONAS.
145
AMMONIUS.
ment.
as the author of all life in nature. (Comp. Plut. de year. (Ibid. and Pallad. Hist. Laus. c. 7 ; Ruffin.
Is. et Os. 9, 21. ). The new Platonists perceived Vi. Putr. c. 29. ) He died before St. Antony (froni
in Ammon their demiurgos, that is, the creator and whom there is an epistle to him, S. Athan. Opp. vol.
preserver of the world. As this subject belongs i. pt. 2, p. 959, ed. Bened. ), i. e. before A. D. 365,
P
more especially to the mythology of Egypt, we for the latter asserted that he beheld the soul of
cannot here enter into a detailed discussion about Amoun borne by angels to heaven (Vit. S. Antonii à
the nature and character which the later Greeks S. Athanas. $ 60), and as St. Athanasius's history
assigned to him, or his connexion with Dionysus of St. Antony preserves the order of time, he died
and Heracles. Respecting these points and the perhaps about A. D. 320. There are seventeen or
various opinions of modern critics, as well as the nineteen Rules of Asceticism (Kepalaia) ascribed to
different representations of Ammon still extant, him ; the Greek original exists in MS. (Lambecius,
the reader may consult Jablonsky, Pantheon Aegypt. ; Biblioth. Vindol. lib. iv. cod. 156, No. 6); they are
Bohlen, Das alte Indien, mit besonderer Rücksicht published in the Latin version of Gerhard Vossius
auf Egypten, ii. c. 2. & 9; J. C. Prichard, Egyptian in the Biblioth. PP. Ascetica, vol. ii. p. 484, Paris.
Mythology; J. F. Champollion, Panthéon Egyptien, 1661. Tuenty-tvo Ascetic Institutions of the same
ou Collection des Personages de l'ancienne Egypte, &c. , Amoun, or one bearing the same name, exist also
Paris, 1823.
in MS. (Lambec. I. c. Cod. 155, No. 2. ) (A. J. C. ]
The worship of Ammon was introduced into AMMONIA ('Auuwvía), a surname of Heras,
Greece at an early period, probably through the under which she was worshipped in Elis. The
medium of the Greek colony in Cyrene, which inhabitants of Elis had from the earliest times
must bave formed a connexion with the great ora- been in the habit of consulting the oracle of Zeus
cle of Ammon in the Oasis soon after its establish-Ammon in Libya. (Paus. v. 15. $ 7. ) (L. S. )
Ammon had a temple and a statue, the AMMONIANUS ('Αμμωνιανός), & Greek
gift of Pindar, at Thebes (Paus. ix. 16. § 1), and grammarian, who lived in the fifth century after
another at Sparta, the inhabitants of wbich, as Christ. He was a relation and a friend of the phi-
Pausanias (iii. 18. $ 2) says, consulted the oracle losopher Syrianus, and devoted his attention to
of Ammon in Libya from early times more than the study of the Greek poets. It is recorded of
the other Greeks. At Apbytis, Ammon was wor- him that he had an ass, which became so fond of
shipped, from the time of Lysander, as zealously as poetry from listening to its master, that it neglect-
in Ammonium. Pindar the poet honoured the god ed its food. (Damascius, ap. Phot. p. 339, a. , ed.
with a hymn. At Megalopolis the god was repre- Bekker; Suid. s. v. 'Ajuwviavós and Ovos Núpas. )
sented with the head of a ram (Paus. viii. 32. § 1), AMMO'NIUS, a favourite of ALEXANDER
and the Greeks of Cyrenaica dedicated at Delphi a Balas, king of Syria, to whom Alexander entrust-
chariot with a statue of Ammon. (x. 13. & 3. ) The ed the entire management of public affairs. Am-
homagie vhich Alexander paid to the god in the monius was avaricious and cruel; he put to death
Oasis iis vell known.
(L. S. ] numerous friends of the king, the queen Laodice,
AMMON ("Aquar), a geometrician, who made and Antigonus, the son of Demetrius. Being de
a mea'surement of the walls of Rome, about the tected in plotting against the life of Ptolemy Phi-
time of the first invasion of the Goths, and found lometor, about B. c. 147, the latter required
them to b: 21 miles in circuit. (Olympiodorus, Alexander to surrender Ammonius to him; but
ap. Phot. Cod. 80, p. 63, ed. Bekker. ) [P. S. ] though Alexander refused to do this, Ammonius
AMMON (Amuw). 1. Bishop of Hadrianople, was put to death by the inhabitants of Antioch,
A. D. 400, vrote (in Greek) On the Resurrection whom Ptolemy had induced to espouse his cause.
against Origenism (not extant). A fragment of (Liv. Epit. 50; Joseph. Ant. xiii. 4. § 5; Diod.
Ammon, from this work possibly, may be found ap.
