A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

a native of Tralles in Asia Minor, is described by Suidas (s. v. Πωλίων) as a sophist and philosopher, who taught at Rome at the time of Pompey the Great, and succeeded Timagenes in his school. But as Timagenes flourished B. C. 55 [TIMAGENES], we must place the date of Asinius Pollio rather later. Judging from the name of the latter, we may infer that he was a freedman of the great Asinius Pollio. Suidas ascribes to the Trallian the following works : 1. An Epitome of the Atthis of Philochorus, respecting which see PHILOCHORUS, p. 299,b. 2. Memorabilia of the philosopher Musonius (Rufus). 3. An Epitome of the Georgics of Diophanes, in two books. 4. A commentary on Aristotle's work on Animals. 5. On the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey. The second of these works however could not have been written by this Pollio, since Musonius lived in the reign of Nero: some writers ascribe it to Valerius Pollio, who lived in the reign of Hadrian, but others to Claudius Pollio, a contemporary of the younger Pliny. The work on the civil war between Caesar and Pompey may perhaps have been a translation into Greek of the history of the great Pollio on the same subject. (Vossius, de Hist. Graecis, p. 197, ed. Westermann ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. iii. p. 566, with the note of Harles; Clinton, F. H. vol. iii. p. 550.)