A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

3. ARTEMIDORUS CORNELIUS, a physician, who was born at Perga in Pamphylia, or, according to some editions of Cicero, at Pergamus in Mysia. He was one of the unprincipled agents of Verres, whom he first assisted in his robbery of the temple of Diana at Perga, when he was legatus to Cn. Dolabella in Cilicia, B. C. 79 (Cic. 2 Verr. 1.20, 3.21); and afterwards attended him in Sicily during his praetorship, B. C. 72-69, where, among other infamous acts, he was one of the judges (recuperatores) in the case of Nympho. His original name appears to have been Artemidorus; he was probably at first a slave, and afterwards, on being freed by his master, (perhaps Cn. Cornelius Dolabella,) took the name of Cornelius. Cicero calls him in one place " Cornelius medicus" (2 Verr. 3.11), in another " Artemidorus Pergaeus" (100.21), and in a third " Artemidorus Cornelius" (100.49); but it is plain that in each passage he refers to the same individual, though Ernesti has in his Index Historicus considered them as three different persons.

[W.A.G]