Akumenos

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Akumenos ( Greek  Ἀκουμενός Akumenós or Akoumenós , also called Ak (o) umenos of Athens ; * around 480/470 BC; † after 415 BC) was a doctor in Athens . He lived in the 5th century BC. BC and belonged to the circle of friends of the philosopher Socrates .

Nothing is known about the origin of Akumenos. It was probably made in the seventies of the 5th century BC. Born in BC, so was a little older than Socrates. He had a son named Eryximachus, who was also a doctor. In Plato's Dialog Symposium (“The Banquet”) Eryximachus is one of the participants in the banquet and gives a speech. There Plato had the two doctors of Alcibiades praised; Alkibiades calls Eryximachus "the best son of the best and most intelligent father".

Akumenos appears several times in Plato's dialogues. He is not an interlocutor there, but is only mentioned. A mutual friend of Socrates and Akumenos was Phaedrus of Myrrhinous , the title character of Plato's dialogue Phaedrus . In this work, Plato has Phaedrus report that Akumenos advised him to take walks on paths outside the city, because that is less tiring than walking around in the lobby. Socrates agreed with this view. According to Plato's account, Socrates thought Akumenus and Eryximachus were competent doctors. The historian Xenophon narrates an anecdote according to which Socrates, referring to Akumenus, advised a person with no appetite to fast.

In 415, Akumenus and Phaedrus were charged with a number of other people of religious crime. The complaint against Akumenos came from a slave named Lydos. Lydos claimed that in the house of Pherekles, his master, mysteries were celebrated, that is, the mysteries of Eleusis were parodied there and Akumenos was among those present. Akumenos did not wait for a trial, but fled into exile. Phaedrus also decided to flee. Those who had fled were found guilty in absentia and their property was confiscated. It is probable, but not certain, that an Eryximachus denounced at that time because of another religious crime , the " Hermenfrevel ", is identical with the son of Akumenus.

In a trial that took place in Athens in 400 AD, a nephew of Akumenus named Alexippus was named as a witness to the circumstances that led to his uncle's flight. It can be concluded from this that Akumenos either already died or was still in exile, otherwise he could have testified himself.

literature

  • Debra Nails: The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics . Hackett, Indianapolis 2002, ISBN 0-87220-564-9 , pp. 1f.
  • John S. Traill: Persons of Ancient Athens , Volume 1: A- to Alexandros. Athenians, Toronto 1994, ISBN 0-9692686-2-9 , p. 296 (No. 117065, 117070; compilation of the documents)

Remarks

  1. ↑ Plato, Symposium 214b.
  2. ↑ Plato, Phaedrus 227a-b.
  3. ^ Plato, Phaedrus 268a-c, 269a.
  4. ↑ Xenophon, Memorabilia 3,13,2.
  5. ↑ Most researchers do not doubt the identity of the accused Akumenos with the doctor; John S. Traill: Persons of Ancient Athens , Volume 1: A- to Alexandros , Toronto 1994, p. 296, however, regards it as uncertain .
  6. ↑ Andokides , On the Mysteries 17f. For background, see Debra Nails: The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics , Indianapolis 2002, pp. 17-20; Martin Ostwald : From Popular Sovereignty to the Sovereignty of Law , Berkeley 1986, pp. 537-550.
  7. ↑ Debra Nails: The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics , Indianapolis 2002, p. 143; see. Ernst Heitsch : Plato: Phaedrus. Translation and Commentary , Göttingen 1993, p. 74, note 90.
  8. ↑ Andokides, On the Mysteries 18; see Debra Nails: The People of Plato: A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics , Indianapolis 2002, p. 2; see. P. 28.
personal data
SURNAME Akumenos
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Akoumenos; Akoumenos of Athens; Akumenos of Athens
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient greek doctor
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.