Dio Chrysostom

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Dio Chrysostom, Dion of Prusa or Dio Cocceianus (c. 40–c. 120) was a Greek orator, writer, philosopher and historian of the Roman Empire in the first century. Eighty of his Discourses remain in existence. His surname Chrysostom comes from the Greek chrysostomos, which literally means "golden mouthed".

He was born at Prusa (now Bursa) in the Roman province of Bithynia (now part of northwestern Turkey). His date of birth is considered to be sometime about 40 to 45. He became a Cynic and a Stoic and is considered part of the second Sophist school of Greek philosophers. He apparently lived in Rome during the reign of Titus Flavius as he wrote of a scandalous association that emperor had with the boxer Melankomas. He was a critic of the Emperor Domitian, who banished him from Rome, Italy, and Bithynia in 82 for advising one of the emperor's conspiring relatives. During his exile he apparently travelled widely in the Roman Empire, often dressed in rags and performing manual labour. After Domitian was assassinated in 96, Dio reputedly talked an encampment of Roman troops out of a mutiny and persuaded them to accept the will of the Roman people. Under Emperor Nerva's reign, his exile was ended and he adopted the surname Cocceianus in later life to honour the support given to him by the emperor, whose full name was Marcus Cocceius Nerva. After Nerva's death he became close friends with the Emperor Trajan. In his later life Dio returned to Prusa, where he apparently had some status, as there are records of him being involved in an urban renewal lawsuit about 111. He is believed to have died some time after 112, possibly 115 to 120.

His Discourses cover a wide range of topics and appear to be written versions of his orations. Some of these may have been prepared for presentation to Trajan on special occasions. Subjects include Kingship, Diogenes' lifestyle, vice and virtue, freedom, slavery, wealth, greed, war, hostilities and peace, good government and other moral issues. He also argued strongly against permitting prostitution.

He was a contemporary of Plutarch, Tacitus and Pliny the Younger. Although he did not write about the Christians as such, his philosophy has been considered a moral parallel to that of Paul of Tarsus and indicates that the early Greek Christians drew upon the Cynic and Stoic philosophies when developing their Christian faith. Being a stoic, he also advocated return to Nature and a simple life.

On the position of the Druids among the Celts, Dion notes that

"Without the Druids, the Kings may neither do nor consult anything; so that in reality they are the Druids who reign, while the Kings, though they sit on golden thrones, dwell in spacious palaces, and feed on costly dishes, are only their ministers."

Dio Chrysostom should not be confused with Cassius Dio, who was also a historian of the Romans, nor with the fourth-century bishop John Chrysostom of Antioch.