A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
William Smith, Ed.

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Bassus, Cassia'nus or Bassus Scholasticus

surnamed Scholasticus, was in all probability the compiler of the Geoponica (Γεωπονικά), or work on Agriculture, which is usually ascribed to the emperor Constantine Porphyrogeneta. (A. D. 911-959.) Cassianus Bassus appears to have compiled it by the command of this emperor, who has thus obtained the honour of the work. Of Bassus we know nothing, save that he lived at Constantinople, and was born at Maratonymum, probably a place in Bithynia. (Geopon. 5.6, comp. 5.36.)

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Works

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Geoponica

The work itself, which is still extant, consists of twenty books, and is compiled from various authors, whose names are always given, and of whom the following is an alphabetical list:-

• Sex. Julius Africanus
• Anatolicus of Berytus [p. 161b.]
• Appuleius
• Aratus of Soli
• Aristoteles, the philosopher
• Damogeron
• Democritus
• Didymus of Alexandria
• Cassius Dionysius of Utica
• Diophanes of Nicaea
• Florentinus
• Fronto
• Hierocles, governor of Bithynia under Diocletian
• Hippocrates, of Cos, a veterinary surgeon, at the time of Constantine the Great
• Leontinus or Leontius
• Nestor, a poet in the time of Alexander Severus
• Pamphilus of Alexandria
• Paramus
• Pelagonius
• Ptolemaeus of Alexandria
• the brothers Quintilius (Gordianus and Maximus)
• Tarentinus
• Theomnestus
• Varro
• Zoroaster

Cassianus Bassus has contributed only two short extracts of his own, namely, cc. 5 and 36 of the fifth book.

The various subjects treated of in the Geoponica will best appear from the contents of the different books, which are as follow:

• 1. Of the atmosphere and the rising and setting of the stars.
• 2. Of general matters appertaining to agriculture, and of the different kinds of corn.
• 3. Of the various agricultural duties suitable to each month.
• 4 and 5. Of the cultivation of the vine.
• 6-8. Of the making of wine.
• 9. Of the cultivation of the olive and the making of oil.
• 10-12. Of horticulture.
• 13. Of the animals and insects injurious to plants.
• 14. Of pigeons and other birds.
• 15. Of natural sympathies and antipathies, and of the management of bees.
• 16. Of horses, asses, and camels.
• 17. Of the breeding of cattle.
• 18. Of the breeding of sheep.
• 19. Of dogs, hares, deer, pigs, and of salting meat.
• 20. Of fishes.

Editions

The Geoponica was first published at Venice in 1538, 8vo., in a Latin translation made by Janus Cornarius. The Greek text appeared in the following year, 1539, 8vo., at Basel, edited by J. Alex. Brassicanus from a manuscript in the imperial library in Vienna. The next edition was published at Cambridge, 1704, 8vo., edited by Needham, and the last at Leipzig, 1781, 4 vols. 8vo., edited by Niclas.