PROLEGOMENA.

The ancients, as is now the custom among the Learned, whenever they compiled the labors of Others into a single volume, also wished their own interspersed works to be distinguished and marked by their own names. It is not entirely clear from what nation or in which century our Cassianus rose to fame. Hierocles, in the Preface to his Hippiatrica Hippiatrica: A collection of Greek texts on veterinary medicine, particularly regarding horses on page 2, addresses him as an eminent man of no small reputation among his peers:

"But even if it were necessary for you to listen to others at this time, and to provide assistance in the courts to those in need, and to devote zeal to these studies, nonetheless your worthiness must not be disregarded, most excellent Bassus." original Greek: Ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ κατακούειν ὑμᾶς ἑτέρων τὰ νῦν ἐχρῆν, ἔν τε δικαστηρίοις παρέχειν χρείαν τοῖς δεομένοις, καὶ σπουδὴν περὶ ταύτας ποιεῖσθαι τὰς διατριβάς, οὐκ ἀτιμαστέον γε ὅμως τὴν σὴν ἀξίωσιν, ἄριστε Βάσσε.

According to the interpretation by Pearson: Even if it should behoove us rather to hear others at this time, and to provide our services in the courts to those requesting them, and to give effort to these exercises; nevertheless, best Bassus, that which you require was not to be neglected. Regarding his own birthplace, Cassianus himself left us something rather obscure in Geoponica, Book 5, Chapter 6:

"I appear to have done this both in the place called Marathonymus, from which I originate, and in other fields which I possess." original Greek: Τοῦτο φαίνομαι πεποιηκώς, ἔν τε τῷ Μαρατωνύμῳ χωρίῳ, ὅθεν ὁρμῶμαι, καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις οἷς κέκτημαι ἀγροῖς.

I confess that where on earth this Marathonymus might be remains hidden from me. Let this be said regarding the collector of the Geoponica. Now, a few things must be discussed concerning the individual writers whom he collected.

APSYRTUS.

Apsyrtus, a veterinarian mulomedicus: a doctor for mules and horses, equivalent to a modern veterinarian, a Bithynian by birth from the city of Prusa, served under Constantine in the Scythian war, as Suidas The Suda, a massive 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia of the Mediterranean world testifies under the entry Apsyrtus:

"Apsyrtus, of Prusa or (rather) Nicomedia, a soldier; he served under Emperor Constantine in Scythia along the Ister The Ister is the ancient name for the lower Danube River. He wrote a veterinary book, and another on the nature of the same irrational animals and horses." original Greek: Ἄψυρτος, Προυσαεὺς, καὶ (potius ἢ) Νικομηδεὺς, στρατιώτης ἐστρατεύσατο δὲ ἐπὶ Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ Βασιλέως ἐν Σκυθίᾳ παρὰ τὸν Ἴστρον. Ἱππιατρικὸν βιβλίον ἔτος ἔγραψε, Φυσικὸν περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀλόγων, καὶ ἵππων.

That is to say, according to the interpretation of my very close and illustrious friend Ludolph Neocorus, the editor of Suidas: Apsyrtus, of Prusa or Nicomedia, a soldier: who served under Emperor Constantine at the Ister in Scythia. He wrote a veterinary book, and another on the physical nature of horses, and other works.

AFRICANUS.

Julius Africanus, with the first name Sextus [as Lambecius prefers], a Christian: he was famous under Alexander Severus, as he himself testifies in Chapter 29 of his Cestoi The Kestoi or "Embroideries" was a miscellany of practical knowledge, ranging from agriculture to military tactics and magic, where he declares that he saw...