A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

(Ἄριστος), of Salamis in Cyprus, a Greek historian, who wrote a history of Alexander the Great, in which he mentioned the embassy of the Romans to Alexander at Babylon. (Arrian, Arr. Anab. 7.15; Athen. 10.436; Clemens Alex. Protrcpt. p. 16; Strab. xiv. p.682.) That he lived a considerable time later than Alexander, may be inferred from Strabo (xv. p.730), although it is impossible to determine the exact time at which he lived. Some writers are inclined to believe that Aristus, the historian, is the same person as Aristus the academic philosopher, who was a contemporary and friend of Cicero, who taught philosophy at Athens, and by whom M. Brutus was instructed. This philosopher moreover was a brother of the celebrated Antiochus of Ascalon. But the opinion which identifies the historian and philopher, is a mere hypothesis, supported by nothing but the circumstance that both bore the same name. (Cic. Brut. 97, de Finib. 5.5, Academ. 1.3, 2.4, Tuscul. Quaest. 5.8, ad Att. 5.10; Plut. Brut. 2.)

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