When did Gaius Julius Hyginus live and what was his social status?
Gaius Julius Hyginus lived between 64 BC and AD 17. He began life as a slave before gaining freedom under the Roman emperor Augustus.
Questions about Gaius Julius Hyginus
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who appointed Gaius Julius Hyginus to manage the Palatine library?
Augustus appointed Gaius Julius Hyginus to manage the Palatine library according to Suetonius's De Grammaticis. Historian Clodius Licinus provided support to keep him alive when funds ran out during his old age.
What works are attributed to Gaius Julius Hyginus and do they survive today?
Suetonius described Gaius Julius Hyginus as a voluminous author who produced numerous treatises on topography, biography, and agricultural practices. All these writings have vanished without trace over two millennia except for the Fabulae mythological handbook and De astronomia.
Did Gaius Julius Hyginus actually write the Fabulae mythological handbook?
Most experts believe a separate author composed the text rather than the freedman himself. Jacob Micyllus published the earliest edition in 1535 with attribution to Gaius Julius Hyginus but scholars question whether he added this credit or if it existed before his publication.
Is the astronomical work De astronomia written by Gaius Julius Hyginus?
General agreement among scholars suggests a different writer produced this astronomical treatise. Modern researchers distinguish between the historical Gaius Julius Hyginus and the actual compiler of these observations regarding constellations and celestial phenomena.
How is the legacy of Gaius Julius Hyginus preserved in modern science?
The lunar crater Hyginus bears the name of this ancient Roman figure today. Astronomers also designated minor planet 12155 after him in recognition of his legacy.