Giovanni Filoteo Achillini

A well-known engraving of Giovanni Filoteo Achillini; Suonatore di viola da mano, by Marcantonio Raimondi, ca. 1510. It was produced from a lost original painting by Francesco Francia. Giovanni Filoteo Achillini (Latin Joannes Philotheus Achillinus; 1466–1538) was an Italian philosopher.

Born in Bologna, he was the younger brother of philosopher Alessandro. He studied Greek, Latin, theology, philosophy, music, antiquities, jurisprudence, poetry, etc., but did not excel in any specific field. He accumulated ample collections of antiquities. One of the principal works was titled Viridario and contained a eulogy of many of his contemporaries in literature, with lessons of morality. to the disparagement of the Tuscan dialect and the praise of the Bolognese dialect (which he had used in his poems).

Works