2. Of Alexandria, a Stoic philosopher and grammarian, and an historical writer, was the
chief librarian of the Alexandrian library, or at least of that part of it which was kept in
the temple of Serapis. He is called in Hom. Il. p. 123.
11, 28, p. 146. 16; Euseb. Praep. Evang. 5.10.) He was the teacher of
Dionysius of Alexandria, who succeeded him, and and who flourished from the time of Nero to
that of Trajan. (Suid. s. v.
s. v.
GALLUS, AELIUS], and made great professions of his astronomical
knowledge, but incurred much ridicule on account of his ignorance (Bibl. Graec.
iii. p. 546.) He was afterwards called to Rome, and became the preceptor of Nero, in
conjunction with Alexander of Aegae. (Suid. s. v.
His chief work was a history of Egypt, which embraced both its sacred and profane history.
An interesting fragment respecting the Egyptian priests is preserved by Porphyry (de Abstinent. 4.6) and Jerome (c. Jovinianum,
ii.).
He also wrote
Origen. c. Cels. 1.59: perhaps in Seneca, Quaest.
Nat. 7.5, we should read Chaeremon for Charimander; but this is not certain, for Charimander is mentioned by Pappus, lib.
vii. p. 247).
This is quoted by Apollonius. (Bekker, Anecdot. Graec. 2.28, p. 515.
15.)
As an historian, Chaeremon is charged by Josephus with wilful falsehood (c.
Apion. cc. 32, 33). This charge seems to be not unfounded, for, besides the proofs of
it alleged by Josephus, we are informed by Tzetzes ( Chil. 5.6), that
Chaeremon stated that the phoenix lived 7000 years !
Of his philosophical views we only know that he was a Stoic, and that he was the leader of
that party which explained the Egyptian religious system as a mere allegory of the worship of
nature, as displayed in the visible world (IAMBLICHUS. His
works were studied by Origen. (Suid. s. v.
Ionsius, de Script. Hist. Philos. p. 208; Brucker, Hist. Crit. Phil. ii. p. 543, &c.; Kruger, Hist. Philos. Ant.
p. 407; Vossius. de Hist. Graec. pp. 209, 210, ed. Westermann.