Dionysius
Dionysius personal name.
Dionysius was the name of two rulers of Syracuse. Dionysius I (c.430–367 bc, ruled 405–367) was known as Dionysius the Elder. A tyrannical ruler, he waged three wars against the Carthaginians for control of Sicily, later becoming the principal power in Greek Italy after the capture of Rhegium (386) and other Greek cities in southern Italy. His son, Dionysus II (c.397–c.344 bc, ruled 367–357 and 346–344) was known as Dionysius the Younger. He lacked his father's military ambitions and signed a peace treaty with Carthage in 367. Despite his patronage of philosophers, he resisted the attempt by Plato to turn him into a philosopher king.
Dionysius the Areopagite (1st century ad), Greek churchman. His conversion by St Paul is recorded in Acts 17:34 and according to tradition he went on to become the first bishop of Athens. He was later confused with St Denis and with a mystical theologian, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who exercised a profound influence on medieval theology.
Dionysius was the name of two rulers of Syracuse. Dionysius I (c.430–367 bc, ruled 405–367) was known as Dionysius the Elder. A tyrannical ruler, he waged three wars against the Carthaginians for control of Sicily, later becoming the principal power in Greek Italy after the capture of Rhegium (386) and other Greek cities in southern Italy. His son, Dionysus II (c.397–c.344 bc, ruled 367–357 and 346–344) was known as Dionysius the Younger. He lacked his father's military ambitions and signed a peace treaty with Carthage in 367. Despite his patronage of philosophers, he resisted the attempt by Plato to turn him into a philosopher king.
Dionysius the Areopagite (1st century ad), Greek churchman. His conversion by St Paul is recorded in Acts 17:34 and according to tradition he went on to become the first bishop of Athens. He was later confused with St Denis and with a mystical theologian, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, who exercised a profound influence on medieval theology.
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Dionysius the Younger
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