Diogenes Laertius°

views updated

DIOGENES LAERTIUS°

DIOGENES LAERTIUS ° (third century c.e.?), author of "Lives of the Philosophers" (Vitae Philosophorum), a eulogistic account of the ancient Greek philosophers. In the prologue (1, 9) he mentions the view of some writers which traces the origin of the Jews back to the Magi. In a separate work, "Life of Socrates," Diogenes mentions that the Jewish historian Justus of Tiberias is the authority in regard to Plato's appearance at the trial of Socrates.

bibliography:

M. Stern (ed.), Greek and Latin Authors on Jews and Judaism, vol. 2 (1980), 332–34.

[Shimon Gibson (2nd ed.)]

More From encyclopedia.com