Nicon

(Νίκων), historical.

1. A Tarentine, who headed the insurrection of his fellow-citizens against Milon, the governor, who had been left by Pvrrhus in command of the citadel of Tarentum. (Zonar. 8.6, p. 379a.)

2. Another Tarentine, surnamed Percon, who, together with Philemenus, betrayed his native city to Hannibal during the second Punic war, B. C. 212. The plan was formed by thirteen noble youths, of whom Nicon and Philemenus were the leaders. Having contrived to hold frequent conferences with Hannibal, and concert all their measures with him, without exciting any suspicion, they appointed a night for the execution of their scheme, on which the Roman governor, M. Livius, was to give a great feast: and Nicon admitted Hannibal with a body of troops at one gate, while Philemenus contrived to make himself master of another, by which he introduced 1000 select African soldiers. The Romans were taken completely by surprise, and Hannibal made himself master, almost without opposition, of the whole of Tarentum, except the citadel. (Plb. 8.26-36; Liv. 25.8-10.) The latter was closely blockaded by the Carthaginians and Tarentines, and in 210 a Roman fleet of twenty ships, under D. Quinctius having advanced to its relief, was encountered by that of the Tarentines under Democrates, and a naval action ensued, in which Nicon greatly distinguished himself by boarding the ship of the Roman commander, and running Quinctius himself through the body with a spear: an exploit which decided the fortune of the day in favour of the Tarentines. (Liv. 26.39.) The following year (B. C. 209) the Romans having in their turn surprised Tarentum, Nicon fell, fighting bravely, in the combat which ensued in the forum of the city. (Id. 27.16.)

3. A relation of Agathocles, the infamous minister and favourite of Ptolemy Philopator, who was put to death, together with his kinsman, B. C. 205. (Plb. 15.33).

4. The treasurer of Perseus, who is called Nicias by Livy and Appian, is named Nicon by Diodorus (xxx. Exc. Vales. p. 579).

5. A leader of the Cilician pirates, who was taken prisoner by P. Servilius Isauricus. (Cic. in Verr. 5.30.79.) He is probably the same person mentioned by Polyaenus, as having occupied the town of Pherae in Messenia, from whence he ravaged the neighbouring country; but having at length been taken prisoner, he surrendered the town into the hands of the Messenians, in order to save his own life. (Polyaen. 2.35.)

6. A Samian, who saved the ship of. which he was steersman, by a dexterous stratagem. (Id. 5.34.) [E. 1H. B.]

(Νίκων), literary.

1. A comic writer, asigned by Meineke to lthe new comedy. A fragment of three lines is preserved by Athenaeus, from his play Κιθαρωδός (xi. p. 487c.), and Pollux gives a portion of the same passage (vi 99). (Meineke, Frag. Poet. Corn. vol. i. p. 495, v. p. 578.)

2. An Armenian abbot. He fled from his parents and was trained in a monastery on the confines of Pontus and Paphlagonia. About A. D. 961, he was sent by the abbot of his monastery on a missionary tour. In the course of it he visited Crete, recently freed from the Saracens, and reclaimed the inhabitants to Christianity. He was employed A. D. 981 to intercede with the Bulgarians, who were making inroads into the Grecian empire, and died, about A. D. 998. He was canonised, his name being in the calendar of both the Greek and Latin churches, on the 26th of November. From his life, written originally in Greek, and translated by Sirmondus, Baronius (Annales, vol. x.) has extracted the account of numerous miracles performed by him. Works Treatises against the Armenians

Two treatises against the Armenians are ascribed to him (Cave speaks doubtfully of the last). ED

They are printed, in Greek and Latin, by Cotelerius (Not. ad Patres Apostol. pp. 152, 237). Other unpublished works

Besides these, other unpublished works of Nicon are mentioned. Further Information

Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. x. p. 299, vol. xi. p. 27.5; Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. ii. p. 103.

3. A monk of Rhaethus in Palestine. Works Πανδέκτης τῶν ἑρμηνειῶν τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου

Under the reign of Constantine Ducas, about A. D. 1060, instigated, it is said, by the fear lest the Saracens should in their conquests obliterate the records of the Christian faith, he compiled a work entitled, Πανδέκτης τῶν ἑρμηνειῶν τῶν θείων ἐντολῶν τοῦ Κυρίου. It consists of two books, and sixty-three chapters, containing extracts from the Scriptures, the ecclesiastical canons, the fathers, and other ecclesiastical documents, besides the civil law.

Fabricius (Bibl. Graec. vol. xi. p. 275, &c.) gives an account of the sources from which Nicon has drawn his extracts, as well as of other writings attributed to him. Editions

Except some extracts given by Cotelerius (Monument. Eccles. Graec.), no part has been published. [W.M.G]

(Νίκων), an architect and geometrician of Pergamus in Mysia, the father of the physician Galen. (Suid. s. v. ΓάΛηνος; Joann. Tzetz. Chil. 12.9.) He himself superintended the early education of his son, by whom he is highly praised in several places, not only for his knowledge of astronomy, grammar, arithmetic, and various other branches of philosophy, but also for his patience, justice, benevolence, and other virtues. (Galen, De Dignosc. et Cur. Animi Morb. 100.8, vol. v. p. 41, &c., De Prob. et Prav. Aliment. Succ. 100.1, vol. vi. p. 755, &c., De Ord. Libror. suor. vol. xix. p. 59.) He died when his son was in his twentieth year, A. D. 149, 150. (l.c. vol. vi. p. 756.) [W.A.G]

(Νίκων), a physician, mentioned by Cicero, B. C. 45 (ad Fam. 7.20), the tutor of Sextus Fadius.

He is perhaps the person quoted by Celsus (De Medic. 5.18.26, p. 87), and called in some editions Micon. Works Περὶ Πολυφαγίας, De Edacitate

He was the author of a work Περὶ Πολυφαγίας, De Edacitate. [W.A.G]

(Νίκων). A citizen of Tarentum, who betrayed his native city to Hannibal (B.C. 212). When the Romans retook the place, he was put to death (B.C. 209). See Livy, xxv. 8; Polyb. viii. 26.