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Nicolaus of Damascus (Greek: , ''Nikolāos Damaskēnos'') was a Greek〔Burns, Ross. ''Damascus: A History'', p. 59.〕 historian and philosopher who lived during the Augustan age of the Roman Empire. His name is derived from that of his birthplace, Damascus. He was born around 64 BC.〔Nicolaus, ''Autobiography'', (Fr.136.8 )〕 He was an intimate friend of Herod the Great, whom he survived by a number of years. He was also the tutor of the children of Antony and Cleopatra (born in 40 BC), according to Sophronius.〔''Patrologia Graeca'', Vol. 87, 3. col. 3622D; F.Jacoby, (FGrH.90.T2 ).〕 He went to Rome with Herod Archelaus.〔Nicolaus, ''Autobiography'', (Fr.136.8-11 )〕 His output was vast, but is nearly all lost. His chief work was a universal history in 144 books. He also wrote an autobiography, a life of Augustus, a life of Herod, some philosophical works, and some tragedies and comedies. There is an article on him in the Suda.〔Suda, (N.393 ).〕 ==History== Towards the end of his life he composed a universal history in 144 books,〔Athenaeus, (vi. 249 ).〕 although the Suda mentions only 80 books. But references to books 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, (8), 96, 103, 104, 107, 108, 110, 114, 123 and 124 are known.〔K. Müller, ''et al.'', (Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum, Vol. 3 ), p. 345.〕 Extensive fragments of the first seven books are preserved in quotation in the ''Excerpta'' compiled at the order of Constantine Porphyrogenitus.〔Lulofs, H. J. Drossart. ''(On the Philosophy of Aristotle, by Nicolaus Damascenus )''. Brill, 1969, p. 1f.〕 These cover the history of the Assyrians, Medes, Greeks, Lydians, and Persians, and are important also for Biblical history. Josephus probably used this work for his history of Herod (''Ant.'' 15-17) because where Nicolaus stops, in the reign of Archelaus, the account of Josephus suddenly becomes more cursory.〔(Jewish Encyclopedia Article )〕 For portions dealing with Greek myth and oriental history he was dependent on other, now lost works, of variable quality. Where he relied on Ctesias, the value of his work is slim. Robert Drews has written: :Classical scholars are agreed that Nicolaus's history of the East, and especially his story of Cyrus, was taken from Ctesias's ''Persica'', a work written early in the fourth century B.C. This work has with justification been denounced by both Assyriologists and classicists as a totally unreliable guide to Mesopotamian history.〔Drews, Robert, "Sargon, Cyrus and Mesopotamian Folk History" ''Journal of Near Eastern Studies'', Vol. 33, No. 4, (Oct., 1974), pp. 387-393.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nicolaus of Damascus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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