Abascantus was a physician of Lugdunum

Lugdunum

Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum was an important Roman city in Gaul. The city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus. It served as the capital of the Roman province Gallia Lugdunensis. To 300 years after its foundation Lugdunum was the most important city to the west part of Roman...

, who probably lived in the 2nd century. He is several times mentioned by Galen

Galen

Aelius Galenus or Claudius Galenus , better known as Galen of Pergamon , was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher...

, who has also preserved an antidote invented by him against the bite of serpents. The name is to be met with in numerous Latin inscriptions in Grutor's collection, five of which refer to a freedman of Augustus

Augustus

Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...

, who is supposed by some scholars to be the same person that is mentioned by Galen. This however is quite uncertain, as also whether Parakletios Abaskanthos (Παρακλήτιος Αβάσκανθος) in Galen refers to the subject of this article.