Cassius Dio - Wikipedia Cassius Dio From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search Roman consul and historian Lucius Cassius Dio Native name Δίων Κάσσιος Born c. 155 AD Nicaea, Bithynia Died c. 235 AD (aged approx. 80) Bithynia Occupation Historian, senator, proconsul, consul Nationality Roman Subject History Notable works History of Rome Relatives Cassius Apronianus (father), Cassius Dio (grandchild or great-grandchild) Lucius Cassius Dio (/ˈkæʃəs ˈdaɪoʊ/; c. 155 – c. 235 AD)[note 1] or Dio Cassius (Ancient Greek: Δίων Κάσσιος)[note 3] was a Roman statesman and historian of Greek and Roman origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the subsequent founding of Rome (753 BC), the formation of the Republic (509 BC), and the creation of the Empire (27 BC), up until 229 AD. Written in Ancient Greek over 22 years, Dio's work covers approximately 1,000 years of history. Many of his 80 books have survived intact, or as fragments, providing modern scholars with a detailed perspective on Roman history. Contents 1 Biography 2 Roman History 3 Literary style 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External links Biography[edit] Lucius Cassius Dio was the son of Cassius Apronianus, a Roman senator and member of the gens Cassia, who was born and raised at Nicaea in Bithynia. Byzantine tradition maintains that Dio's mother was the daughter or sister of the Greek orator and philosopher, Dio Chrysostom; however, this relationship has been disputed. Lucius is often identified as Dio's praenomen, but a Macedonian inscription, published in 1970, reveals the abbreviation, "Cl.", presumably Claudius.[note 4] Although Dio was a Roman citizen, he wrote in Greek. Dio always maintained a love for his hometown of Nicaea, calling it "his home", as opposed to his description of his villa in Italy ("my residence in Italy").[citation needed] For the greater part of his life, Dio was a member of the public service. He was a senator[5] under Commodus and governor of Smyrna following the death of Septimius Severus; he became a suffect consul in approximately the year 205. Dio was also proconsul in Africa and Pannonia. Severus Alexander held Dio in the highest esteem and reappointed him to the position of consul, even though his caustic nature irritated the Praetorian Guards, who demanded his life. Following his second consulship, while in his later years, Dio returned to his native country, where he eventually died. Dio was either the grandfather or great-grandfather of Cassius Dio, consul in 291.[6] Roman History[edit] Dio published a Roman History (Ῥωμαϊκὴ Ἱστορία, Historia Romana), in 80 books, after twenty-two years of research and labour. The books cover a period of approximately 1,400 years, beginning with the tales from Roman mythology of the arrival of the legendary Aeneas in Italy (c. 1200 BC) and the founding of Rome by his descendant Romulus (753 BC); as well as the historic events of the republican and imperial eras through 229 AD. The work is one of only three written Roman sources that document the British revolt of AD 60–61 led by Boudica and the subsequent defeat of Boudica. Until the first century BC, Dio provides only a summary of events; after that period, his accounts become more detailed. From the time of Commodus (ruled AD 180–192), Dio is very circumspect in his conveyance of the events that he witnessed. The version of Dio's work that survives today is quite composite since his history does not survive in its entirety: The first 21 books have been partially reconstructed based on fragments from other works as well as the epitome of Zonaras who used Dio's Roman History as a main source. Scholarship on this part of Dio's work is scarce but the importance of the Early Republic and Regal period to Dio's overall work has recently been underlined.[7] Books 22 through 35 are sparsely covered by fragments. The books that follow, Books 36 through 54, are nearly all complete; they cover the period from 65 BC to 12 BC, or from the eastern campaign of Pompey and the death of Mithridates to the death of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. Book 55 contains a considerable gap, while Books 56 through 60 (which cover the period from AD 9 through 54) are complete and contain events from the defeat of Varus in Germany to the death of Claudius. Of the 20 subsequent books in the series, there remain only fragments and the meager abridgement of John Xiphilinus, a monk from the 11th century. The abridgment of Xiphilinus, as now extant, commences with Book 35 and continues to the end of Book 80: it is a very indifferent performance[citation needed] and was made by order of the emperor Michael VII Doukas. The last book covers the period from 222 to 229 (the first half of the reign of Alexander Severus). Dio's work has often been deprecated as unreliable and lacking any overall political aim.[8][9] Recently, however, this Roman historian has received a thorough reevaluation and his complexity and sophisticated political and historical interpretations have been highlighted.[10][11][7] The fragments of the first 36 books, as they have been collected, consist of four kinds: Fragmenta Valesiana: fragments that were dispersed throughout various writers, scholiasts, grammarians, and lexicographers, and were collected by Henri Valois. Fragmenta Peiresciana: large extracts, found in the section entitled "Of Virtues and Vices", contained in the collection, or portative library, compiled by order of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. The manuscript of this belonged to Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc. The fragments of the first 34 books, preserved in the second section of the same work by Constantine, entitled “Of Embassies.” These are known under the name of Fragmenta Ursiniana, as the manuscript in which they are contained was found in Sicily by Fulvio Orsini. Excerpta Vaticana by Angelo Mai: Contains fragments of books 1 to 35 and 61 to 80. Additionally, fragments of an unknown continuator of Dio (Anonymus post Dionem), generally identified with the 6th-century historian Peter the Patrician, are included; these date from the time of Constantine. Other fragments from Dio that are primarily associated with the first 34 books were found by Mai in two Vatican MSS.; these contain a collection that was compiled by Maximus Planudes. The annals of Joannes Zonaras also contain numerous extracts from Dio. Literary style[edit] Dio attempted to emulate Thucydides in his writing style. Dio's style, where there appears to be no corruption of the text, is generally clear though full of Latinisms. Dio's writing was underpinned by a set of personal circumstances whereby he was able to observe significant events of the Empire in the first person, or had direct contact with the key figures who were involved. See also[edit] Tacitus Severan dynasty Herodian Roman historiography Notes[edit] ^ According to some scholars, such as Millar (Millar, F., A study of Cassius Dio, Oxford 1966, p. 13), he was born later, in 163/164 AD[1] ^ Alain Gowing, who has edited Cassius Dio, argues that the evidence for Cocceianus is insufficient, and the ascription is a Byzantine confusion with Dio Chrysostom, whom Pliny shows to be named Cocceianus; he provides the previously unattested praenomen of Claudius. ^ Also known as Dion Kassios Kokkeianos (Ancient Greek: Δίων Κάσσιος Κοκκηϊανός),[2] Cassius Lucius Dio or Cassius Claudius Dio;[3] alleged to have the cognomen (nickname) Cocceianus[4][note 2] ^ Gowing, who adopts it; Claudius, however, is usually a nomen. References[edit] ^ Millar, Fergus (1964). Study of Cassius Dio. Oxford University Press. p. 250. ISBN 0-19-814336-2. ^ Prof. Cary's Introduction at LacusCurtius ^ Gowing, Alain (January 1990), "Dio's Name", Classical Philology, 85 (1): 49–54, doi:10.1086/367176, JSTOR 269480 ^ Dio's name: L'Année épigraphique 1971, 430 = Κλ΄ Κάσσιος Δίων. Roman Military Diplomas, Roxan, 133 = L. Cassius Dio. ^ Carter, John (1987). The Reign of Augustus. London: Penguin Books. pp. 1. ISBN 9780140444483. ^ Martindale, J. R.; Jones, A. H. M, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I AD 260-395, Cambridge University Press (1971), pg. 253 ^ a b Burden-Strevens, C. and Lindholmer, M. O. (2018). Cassius Dio's Forgotten History of Early Rome. Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004384552. ISBN 9789004384552.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) ^ Millar, Fergus (1964). A Study of Cassius Dio. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ^ Lintott, A. (1997). "Cassius Dio and the History of the Late Roman Republic". Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt. 34 (3): 2497–2523. ^ Lange, Carsten Hjort Herausgeber Madsen, Jesper Majbom Herausgeber (2016). Cassius Dio Greek intellectual and Roman politician. Brill. ISBN 9789004335318. OCLC 964448138.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) ^ Valérie Fromentin, Estelle Bertrand, Michèle Coltelloni-Trannoy, Michel Molin, Gianpaolo Urso (eds.) (2016). Cassius Dion: nouvelles lectures. Bordeaux: Ausonius.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link) Further reading[edit] Aalders, G. J. D. 1986. "Cassius Dio and the Greek World." Mnemosyne 39: 282–304. Baltussen, Han. 2002. "Matricide Revisited: Dramatic and Rhetorical Allusion in Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio." Antichthon 36: 30–40. Burden-Strevens, C. and Lindholmer, M. O. 2018 (eds.). Cassius Dio's Forgotten History of Early Rome: The Roman History. Leiden: Brill. Eisman, M. M. 1977. "Dio and Josephus: Parallel Analyses." Latomus 36: 657–673. Fromentin, V., Bertrand, E. Coltelloni-Trannoy, M., Molin, M and Urso, G. (eds.) 2016. Cassius Dion: nouvelles lectures. Bordeaux: Ausonius. Gleason, Maud. 2011. "Identity Theft: Doubles and Masquerades in Cassius Dio's Contemporary History." Classical Antiquity 30.1: 33–86. Gowing, Alain M. 1990. "Dio’s Name." Classical Philology 85: 49–54. Kordos, Jozef. 2010. "Thucydidean Elements in Cassius Dio." Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 50.2-3:249-256. Lange, C. H. and Madsen, J. M. 2016 (eds.). Cassius Dio: Greek Intellectual and Roman Politician. Leiden: Brill. Mallan, C. T. 2013. "Cassius Dio on Julia Domna: A Study of the Political and Ethical Functions of Biographical Representation in Dio's Roman History." Mnemosyne 66.4-5: 734–760. McDougall, Iain. 1991. "Dio and His Sources for Caesar’s Campaigns in Gaul." Latomus 50: 616–638. Millar, F. G. B. 1964. A Study of Cassius Dio. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press. Murison, C. L. 1999. Rebellion and Reconstruction: Galba to Domitian: An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio’s Roman History. Books 64–67 (A.D. 68–96). Atlanta: Scholars Press. Reinhold, Meyer. 1988. From Republic to Principate. An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio's Roman History Books 49-52 (36-29 B.C.). Atlanta: Scholars Press. Swan, P.M. 2004. The Augustan Succession. An Historical Commentary on Cassius Dio's Roman History Books 55-56 (9 B.C.-A.D.14). Oxford: Oxford University Press. External links[edit] Library resources about Cassius Dio Online books Resources in your library Resources in other libraries By Cassius Dio Online books Resources in your library Resources in other libraries Media related to Cassius Dio at Wikimedia Commons "Cassius Dio" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 8 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 278–279. Works written by or about Cassius Dio at Wikisource Works by Cassius Dio at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Cassius Dio at Internet Archive Cassius Dio, Roman History (English translation on LacusCurtius) Works by Cassius Dio at Perseus Digital Library Greek text and French Translation Dio Cassius: the Manuscripts of "The Roman History" Editio princeps: Dionis Romanarum historiarum libri XXIII, à XXXVI ad LVIII vsque (The Roman History), Greek text edited by Robert Estienne, Paris, 1548. Held by the Corning Museum of Glass. Editio princeps of Xiphilinus's Epitome (Robert Estienne, Paris, 1551) at Google Books Political offices Preceded by Uncertain Consul suffectus of the Roman Empire around 205 with uncertain Succeeded by Uncertain Preceded by Quintus Aiacius Modestus Crescentianus, Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus Consul of the Roman Empire 229 with Alexander Severus Succeeded by Lucius Virius Agricola, Sextus Catius Clementinus Priscillianus Authority control BIBSYS: 90055780 BNE: XX1251722 BNF: cb122023034 (data) CANTIC: a11114411 CiNii: DA02099596 GND: 118525824 ISNI: 0000 0001 2144 1495 LCCN: n79084710 NKC: jn19981000657 NLA: 35723341 NLG: 17975 NSK: 000362910 NTA: 069534306 RERO: 02-A000029524 SELIBR: 183846 SNAC: w6c56ngc SUDOC: 03064870X Trove: 1058806 VcBA: 495/14280 VIAF: 95167625 WorldCat Identities: lccn-n79084710 Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cassius_Dio&oldid=993434048" Categories: Imperial Roman consuls Roman-era Greek historians Historians from Roman Anatolia 150s births 230s deaths 3rd-century historians 2nd-century Greek people 3rd-century Greek people 2nd-century Romans 3rd-century Romans Cassii People from Nicaea Hidden categories: Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text Articles containing Latin-language text CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list CS1 maint: extra text: authors list Articles with short description Short description matches Wikidata All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2017 Commons category link from Wikidata Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference Articles with Project Gutenberg links Articles with Internet Archive links Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNE identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with CANTIC identifiers Wikipedia articles with CINII identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with NKC identifiers Wikipedia articles with NLA identifiers Wikipedia articles with NLG identifiers Wikipedia articles with NSK identifiers Wikipedia articles with NTA identifiers Wikipedia articles with RERO identifiers Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers Wikipedia articles with Trove identifiers Wikipedia articles with VcBA identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikisource Languages Afrikaans Alemannisch العربية تۆرکجه Беларуская Български Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Frysk Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Latina Latviešu Magyar മലയാളം Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本語 Norsk bokmål Polski Português Română Русский Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 10 December 2020, at 16:18 (UTC). 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