Cassius Dio: the story on HearLore

Cassius Dio

Lucius Cassius Dio was born in the city of Nicaea, located within the Roman province of Bithynia. His father held the rank of senator and belonged to the ancient Cassia family line. Byzantine tradition once claimed his mother descended from the famous Greek orator Dio Chrysostom, though modern scholars dispute this connection. Despite his Roman citizenship, he chose to write his history in Koine Greek rather than Latin. He maintained a deep affection for his hometown throughout his life, referring to it simply as "my home". This stood in contrast to how he described his villa in Capua, which he called merely "the place where I spend my time whenever I am in Italy".

Decades Of Historical Labor

Dio dedicated twenty-two years to composing eighty books covering roughly one thousand years of Roman history. He spent ten years collecting achievements from the beginning down to the death of Emperor Severus in 213 AD. The remaining twelve years were devoted to actually writing out the narrative. The work began with the legendary arrival of Aeneas in Italy and ended at 229 AD during the reign of Severus Alexander. Only three written sources document the British revolt led by Queen Boudica between 60 and 61 AD, and Dio is one of them. Before the first century BC, his accounts remain summary level, but they become increasingly detailed thereafter.

Byzantine Preservation Efforts

Many original volumes have survived intact alongside summaries edited by later Byzantine authors. Joannes Zonaras was a chronicler of the twelfth century who used Dio's work as a primary source for his own epitome. John Xiphilinus served as a Byzantine monk in the eleventh century under the sponsorship of emperor Michael VII Doukas. His abridgment commences with Book 35 and continues through the end of Book 80. Books 22 through 35 were already lost by the time Zonaras wrote his summary. The last book covers the period from 222 to 229 AD, marking the first half of Alexander Severus' reign.

Where was Lucius Cassius Dio born and what was his family background?

Lucius Cassius Dio was born in the city of Nicaea within the Roman province of Bithynia. His father held the rank of senator and belonged to the ancient Cassia family line.

How many years did Lucius Cassius Dio spend writing his history and when did it end?

Dio dedicated twenty-two years to composing eighty books covering roughly one thousand years of Roman history. The work ended at 229 AD during the reign of Severus Alexander.

Which Byzantine authors preserved the surviving works of Lucius Cassius Dio?

Joannes Zonaras edited an epitome using Dio's work as a primary source while John Xiphilinus created an abridgment that continues through Book 80. Books 22 through 35 were already lost by the time Zonaras wrote his summary.

What are the four distinct ways fragments of the first thirty-six books of Lucius Cassius Dio have been collected?

Fragmenta Valesiana contains pieces gathered by Henri Valois and Fragmenta Peiresciana includes extracts found by Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc. Fulvio Orsini discovered the manuscript known as Fragmenta Ursiniana in Sicily and Angelo Mai compiled Excerpta Vaticana which holds fragments from Books 1 to 35 and 61 to 80.

Cassius Dio

Decades Of Historical Labor

Byzantine Preservation Efforts

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Common questions

Where was Lucius Cassius Dio born and what was his family background?

How many years did Lucius Cassius Dio spend writing his history and when did it end?

Which Byzantine authors preserved the surviving works of Lucius Cassius Dio?

What are the four distinct ways fragments of the first thirty-six books of Lucius Cassius Dio have been collected?

Scholarly Reevaluation Of Bias

Four Collections Of Fragments