Clearchus of Soli


Clearchus of Soli was a Greek philosopher of the 4th–3rd century BCE, belonging to Aristotle's Peripatetic school. He was born in Soli in Cyprus.
He wrote extensively on eastern cultures, and is thought to have traveled to the Bactrian city of Ai-Khanoum in modern Afghanistan.

Writings

Clearchus wrote extensively around on Oriental cultures, from Israel to Persia to India, and several fragments from him are known. His book "Of Education" was cited by Diogenes Laërtius.
Clearchus in particular expressed several theories on the connection between western and eastern religions. In "Of Education", he wrote that "the gymnosophists are descendants of the Magi".
In another text, Josephus the first-century Romano-Jewish scholar claimed that Clearchus has reported a dialogue with Aristotle, where the philosopher states that the Hebrews were descendants of the Indian philosophers:
The original term used for the Calami people in Greek was Καλανοί, which is derived from the Indian ascetic Calanus.
His works included also:
  • Βίοι ; a work on the right way of life, in at least eight volumes
  • A commentary on Plato's Timaeus
  • Πλάτωνος ἐγκώμιον ; eulogy to Plato
  • Περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ Πλάτωνος Πολιτείᾳ μαϑηματικῶς ἐιρημένων ; on the mathematical subjects in Plato's Republic
  • Γεργίϑιος ; a treatise on flattery
  • Περὶ φιλίας ; on friendship
  • Παροιμίαι ; proverbs
  • Περὶ γρίφων ; on riddles
  • Ἐρωτικά ; a probably historical collection of love-stories with some very odd questions on the subject
  • Περὶ γραφῶν ; on paintings
  • Περιγραφαί ; ? the reading in Athenaeus is doubtful
  • Περὶ νάρκης ; on the electric ray
  • Περὶ τῶν ἐνύδρων ; on water-animals
  • Περὶ ϑινῶν ; on sand-wastes
  • Περὶ σκελετῶν ; an anatomical work
  • Περὶ ὕπνου ; on sleep
There is some question as to whether the work on military tactics cited by Aelianus Tacticus should be ascribed to Clearchus of Soli or Clearchus of Heraclea.

Travels

In the Bactrian city of Ai-Khanoum, near the border with India, Greek verses, brought to city by Clearchus from Delphi, were dedicated to the founder of the city named Kineas. On a Herôon, identified in Greek as the tomb of Kineas and dated to 300-250 BC, the inscription says:
The precepts were placed by a Greek named Clearchus, thought to be Clearchus of Soli, who had copied them from Delphi:
Clearchus of Soli was a contemporary and compatriot of Stasanor, who was a general of Alexander the Great and later satrap of Bactria and Sogdiana.