- Hyginos
Hyginos is the name of a freedman of the first Roman emperor
Augustus . Although historians are not sure of the exact year of his birth, the year that fits Suetonius's account of the life of Augustus place it at around55 B.C . At the behest of Augustus, he came to Rome as a boy from eitherAlexandria orSpain . He was raised in the household ofOctavian , the futureprinceps , and received much of his education there. He was taught by the prolific Greek scholar, Alexandros Polyhistor ofMiletus , who had been inRome since 82 B.C. Eventually, Hyginos became Octavian's librarian and was the teacher of the great poet,Ovid . Thelibrary was part of Augustus's ambitious building project, the Temple ofApollo , which was built on thePalatine Hill , a place of mythological and legendary significance for the Roman people. Hyginos was freed on the inauguration of this library, which most likely took place in28 B.C. . Upon receiving his freedom, he was known at Gaius Julius Hyginus.----For further information see:
Roller, Duane W.. The World of Juba II and Kleopatra Selene. New York: Routledge, 2003.
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