Nicomachus

(Νικόμαχος).

1. One of the sons of Machaon, the son of Aesculapius, by Anticleia, the daughter of Diocles, king of Pherae, in Messenia. According to Pausanias (4.30.2), he succeeded to the kingdom after the death of his grandfather, together with his brother Gorgasus, and is therefore placed by some in the twelfth century B. C. Both brothers followed the example of their father, by practising the art of healing, for which they received divine honours after their death, and had a sanctuary at Pherae, founded by Isthmius, the son of G(laucus (id. 4.3.6). Suidas (s. v. Νικόμ.) says he was a native of Stageira, in Macedonia; but it is not likely that this city was then in existence. He also seems to say that he wrote six books on medicine (Ἰατρικά), and one on natural science (Φυσικά); but this is probably incorrect. In fact Nicomachus must be regarded as a purely mythical personage. According to Hermippus (ap. D. L. 5.1.1), he was the ancestor of Nicomachus, the father of Aristotle.