Auriga (constellation) been a separate constellation; however, Ptolemy merged the Charioteer and the Goats in the 2nd-century Almagest. Before that, Capella was sometimes seen as its own constellation—by Pliny the Elder and Manilius—called "Capra", "Caper", or "Hircus", all of which relate to its status as the "goat star". Zeta Aurigae and Eta Aurigae were first called the "Kids" by Cleostratus, an ancient Greek astronomer. Traditionally, illustrations of Auriga represent it as a chariot and its driver. The charioteer holds a goat over his left shoulder and has two kids under his left arm; he holds the reins to the chariot in his
Porphyrius the Charioteer his history, is collected from these statues. They are described in detail by a selection of epigrams from the Greek anthology, and by The Chronicle of John Malalas. Although his precise age is not known, Porphyrius was described as a mature youth, as a youngish man, and as a youth with the first down on his cheeks. Porphyrius was unique in that, at a young age, he was not only victorious in his many races, but he was the youngest charioteer to have a monument built honoring him. Traditionally a charioteer would have a statue built after his retirement (usually