Dionysius
Encyclopedia
The Graeco-Roman name Dionysius, deriving from the name of the Thracian
god
Dionysus
, was exceedingly common, and many ancient people, famous and otherwise, bore it. It remains a common name today in the form Dennis
(Denys, Denis, Denise). The modern Greek form of the name is Dionysios or Dionysis. The Spanish form of the name is Dionisio. The Italian form of the name is Dionigi.
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
god
God (male deity)
A god, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or "goddesses". While the term 'goddess' specifically refers to a female deity, the plural 'gods' can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender....
Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, was exceedingly common, and many ancient people, famous and otherwise, bore it. It remains a common name today in the form Dennis
Dennis
Dennis or Denis is either the first or last name of a male derived from the Greco-Roman name Dionysius meaning "servant of Dionysus", the Thracian god of wine, which is ultimately derived from the Greek Dios combined with Nysos or Nysa , where the young god was raised.Alternative forms and...
(Denys, Denis, Denise). The modern Greek form of the name is Dionysios or Dionysis. The Spanish form of the name is Dionisio. The Italian form of the name is Dionigi.
People named Dionysius
Among the persons known by the name Dionysius, or using the French version Denis, some of the more famous were:Ancient Greece and Rome
- Dionysius the ElderDionysius I of SyracuseDionysius I or Dionysius the Elder was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in what is now Sicily, southern Italy. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy, opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies...
(or Dionysius I), ruler of SyracuseSyracuse, ItalySyracuse is a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is notable for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture, and as the birthplace of the preeminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. This 2,700-year-old city played a key role in...
in SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,... - Dionysius the YoungerDionysius II of SyracuseDionysius the Younger or Dionysius II ruled Syracuse, Sicily from 367 BC to 357 BC and again from 346 BC to 344 BC....
(or Dionysius II), son of the preceding - Dionysius of Phocaea, commander of the Ionian fleet at the Battle of Lade, 494 BC
- Dionysius ChalcusDionysius ChalcusDionysius Chalcus was an ancient Athenian poet and orator. According to Athenaeus, he was called Chalcus because he advised the Athenians to adopt a brass coinage . His speeches have not survived, but his poems are referred to and quoted by such authors as Plutarch , Aristotle , and Athenaeus...
, Athenian elegiac poet, 5th century BC - Dionysius of HeracleaDionysius of HeracleaDionysius was a tyrant of Heraclea on the Euxine . He was a son of Clearchus, who had assumed the tyranny in his native place. When Clearchus died , he was first succeeded by his brother Satyrus, who was reigning as guardian for Clearchus' sons Timotheus and Dionysius...
, tyrant of Heraclea Pontica, 4th century BC - Dionysius (Athenian Commander)Dionysius (Athenian Commander)Dionysius was an Athenian commander during the Corinthian War. In 388 BC, he participated in naval operations around Abydus. Along with fellow commanders Demaenetus, Leontichus and Phanias, Dionysius unsuccessfully pursued the Spartan fleet under Antalcidas. However, Antalcidas was able to evade...
, an Athenian naval commander during the Corinthian WarCorinthian WarThe Corinthian War was an ancient Greek conflict lasting from 395 BC until 387 BC, pitting Sparta against a coalition of four allied states; Thebes, Athens, Corinth, and Argos; which were initially backed by Persia. The immediate cause of the war was a local conflict in northwest Greece in which... - Dionysius the RenegadeDionysius the RenegadeDionysius the Renegade , also known as Dionysius of Heraclea, was a Stoic philosopher and pupil of Zeno of Citium who, late in life, abandoned Stoicism when he became afflicted by terrible pain....
, StoicSTOICSTOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
philosopher from Heraclea who became a Cyrenaic, c. 300 BC. - Dionysius (ambassador)Dionysius (ambassador)Dionysius was a Greek of the 3rd century BCE, who was sent as ambassador to the court of the Indian emperor Ashoka, by Ptolemy Philadelphus.He was preceded in this role by Megasthenes, ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya, and Deimachus, ambassador to his son, and father of Ashoka, Bindusara.Dionysius...
, 3rd century BC, ambassador to the court of the Indian ruler Ashoka. - Dionysius ThraxDionysius ThraxDionysius Thrax was a Hellenistic grammarian and a pupil of Aristarchus of Samothrace. His place of origin was not Thrace as the epithet Thrax denotes, but probably Alexandria...
, Greek grammarian, 2nd century BC - Dionysius of CyreneDionysius of CyreneDionysius of Cyrene, lived c. 150 BC, was a Stoic philosopher and mathematician.He was a pupil of Diogenes of Babylon and Antipater of Tarsus....
, StoicSTOICSTOIC was a variant of Forth.It started out at the MIT and Harvard Biomedical Engineering Centre in Boston, and was written in the mid 1970s by Jonathan Sachs...
philosopher and mathematician, c. 150 BC. - Aelius DionysiusAelius DionysiusAelius Dionysius was a Greek rhetorician from Halicarnassus, who lived in the time of the emperor Hadrian. He was a very skillful musician, and wrote several works on music and its history. It is commonly supposed that he was a descendant of the elder Dionysius of Halicarnassus, author of the...
, a Greek rhetorician from HalicarnassusHalicarnassusHalicarnassus was an ancient Greek city at the site of modern Bodrum in Turkey. It was located in southwest Caria on a picturesque, advantageous site on the Ceramic Gulf. The city was famous for the tomb of Mausolus, the origin of the word mausoleum, built between 353 BC and 350 BC, and... - Dionysius PeriegetesDionysius PeriegetesDionysius Periegetes was the author of a description of the habitable world in Greek hexameter verse written in a terse and elegant style...
, Greek geographer, 2nd or 3rd century - Dionysius of HalicarnassusDionysius of HalicarnassusDionysius of Halicarnassus was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His literary style was Attistic — imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime.-Life:...
, Greek historian of the Roman period
Christian saints, monks and bishops
- Dionysius the AreopagiteDionysius the AreopagiteDionysius the Areopagite was a judge of the Areopagus who, as related in the Acts of the Apostles, , was converted to Christianity by the preaching of the Apostle Paul during the Areopagus sermon...
, Athenian judge who was converted by Paul of Tarsus and became Bishop of Athens- Pseudo-Dionysius the AreopagitePseudo-Dionysius the AreopagitePseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as Pseudo-Denys, was a Christian theologian and philosopher of the late 5th to early 6th century, the author of the Corpus Areopagiticum . The author is identified as "Dionysos" in the corpus, which later incorrectly came to be attributed to Dionysius...
(5th century), name given to anonymous writer, identified by some with Georgian theologian Peter the IberianPeter the IberianPeter the Iberian, or Peter of Iberia, is a Georgian Orthodox saint, who was a prominent figure in early Christianity. Some have claimed that he is the author of the works written under the pen name Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite....
(411–491), author of Corpus Areopagiticum
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
- Dionysius, a lector and martyr of Alexandria - see Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius of AlexandriaFaustus, Abibus and Dionysius of AlexandriaFaustus, Abibus and Dionysius of Alexandria were Christian martyrs put to death under Decius in 250.Faustus was a priest, Abibus was a deacon, and Dionysius was a lector...
- Dionysius, Bishop of CorinthDionysius, Bishop of CorinthSaint Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth lived about the year 171. His feast day is commemorated on April 8.The date is fixed by the fact that he wrote to Pope St Soter. Eusebius in his Chronicle placed his "floruit" in the eleventh year of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius...
, 2nd century bishop - Saint Dionysius of AlexandriaDionysius of AlexandriaPope Dionysius of Alexandria, named "the Great," was the Pope of Alexandria from 248 until his death on November 17, 265 after seventeen years as a bishop. He was the first Pope to hold the title "the Great" . We have information on Dionysius because during his lifetime, Dionysius wrote many...
, 3rd century Egyptian bishop - DionysiusTheodore, Philippa, and CompanionsTheodore, Philippa, and Companions were martyrs, who suffered crucifixion during the reign of Elagabalus. Theodore of Perge was a Roman soldier, and Philippa was his mother...
, 3rd century Christian martyr and saint - Saint DenisDenisSaint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
, Bishop of Paris, martyr (died ca. 250) - Pope Dionysius, 259–268
- Dionysius of MilanDionysius (bishop of Milan)Dionysius was Archbishop of Milan from 349 to 355. He is honoured as a Saint in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches and his feast day is on May 25.-Life:...
, bishop of Milan 349-355, saint - Dionysius ExiguusDionysius ExiguusDionysius Exiguus was a 6th-century monk born in Scythia Minor, modern Dobruja shared by Romania and Bulgaria. He was a member of the Scythian monks community concentrated in Tomis, the major city of Scythia Minor...
, (c. 470–c. 540) monk from Scythia MinorScythia MinorScythia Minor, "Lesser Scythia" was in ancient times the region surrounded by the Danube at the north and west and the Black Sea at the east, corresponding to today's Dobruja, with a part in Romania and a part in Bulgaria....
who invented the Anno Domini era - Dionysius TelmaharensisDionysius TelmaharensisDionysius Telmaharensis was a patriarch or supreme head of the Syrian Orthodox Church . He was born at Tell-Mahre near ar-Raqqa on the Balikh River....
, (d. 848) former head of the Syrian Jacobite Church - Jacob Bar-SalibiJacob Bar-SalibiJacob Bar-Salibi also known as Dionysius Bar-Salibi was the best-known and most prolific writer in the Syriac Orthodox Church of the twelfth century.Bar-Salibi was, like Bar-Hebraeus, a native of Malatia on the upper Euphrates...
also known as Dionysius Bar-salibi, member of Syrian Jacobite Church in the 12th century, best known for his commentary on biblical texts - Dionysius I, Metropolitan of MoscowDionysius I, Metropolitan of MoscowSaint Dionysius I ; baptismal name: David was a Russian Orthodox metropolitan in 1384-1385.As a young man David entered the Kiev Caves Lavra, where he was tonsured a monk and given the religious name Dionysius...
(c. 1300–1385), 14th century orthodox prelate - Saint Dionysios of ZakynthosDionysios of ZakynthosSaint Dionysios of Zakynthos was a 16th century Orthodox Christian Archbishop of Aegina. He was born on the Greek island of Zakynthos in 1546. He is the patron saint of Zakynthos and is celebrated on August 24 and December 17....
, 15th century Orthodox Christian Archbishop of Aegina - Dionysius the WiseDionisiusDionisius was acknowledged as a head of the Moscow school of icon painters at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. His style of painting is sometimes termed "the Muscovite mannerism"....
, (late 15th century–early 16th century), Russian medieval icon-painter - Denis the CarthusianDenis the CarthusianDenis the Carthusian , also known as Denys van Leeuwen or Denis Ryckel, was a Roman Catholic theologian and mystic.-Life:...
(1402-1471) - Patriarch Dionysius I of ConstantinoplePatriarch Dionysius I of ConstantinopleDionysius I was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople two times, from 1466 to 1471 and from 1488 to 1490. He is honoured as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and his feast day is November 23.-Life:Dionysius was born in Dimitsana, in the Peloponnese...
, Saint, reigned from 1466 to 1471 and from 1488 to 1490 - Patriarch Dionysius II of Constantinople, reigned from 1546 to 1556
- Dionysius the PhilosopherDionysius the PhilosopherDionysius the Philosopher was a Greek monk who led two farmer revolts against the Ottoman Turks.-Life and career:Dionysius was born in c. 1560 AD in Paramythia, Thesprotia. He was of Greek descent, from Macedonia with Epirotian parentage...
, (1560 AD–1611 AD), Epirotian Greek monk who led two farmer revolts against the Ottoman Turks. - Mar Dionysius I (died 1808), Metropolitan of the Malankara Church
Other
- Benjamin MusaphiaBenjamin MusaphiaBenjamin ben Immanuel Musaphia , also called Benjamin Musaphia or Mussafia and Dionysius, was a Jewish doctor, scholar and kabbalist....
(1606–1675), Jewish doctor, scholar, and kabbalist, who sometimes called himself Dionysius - Dionysius LardnerDionysius LardnerDionysius Lardner , was an Irish scientific writer who popularised science and technology, and edited the 133-volume Cabinet Cyclopedia.-Early life in Dublin:...
(1793–1859), Irish scientific writer - Dionysios DemetisDionysios DemetisDionysios Demetis is a Greek composer, born in 1979 in Athens. He studied piano at the Ethnikon Odion in Athens. He is best known for two of his compositions, "Moonlight" and "Abyss". He released his first CD of piano compositions in 2000, The Heart Wreck on SpinRecords, a California record...
, Greek composer - Dionyssis DiakosDionyssis DiakosDionyssis Diakos was a Greek revolutionary leader during the Greek War of Independence. He was born in Pyrgos and descended from a family or operators and revolutionary leaders. He was a runner for Pyrgos. He took part in a battle against Ibrahim and the fortress of Kastro. With the sack of...
, Greek revolutionary leader in the Greek War of Independence - Dionysios IliadisDionysios Iliadis-Achievements:-References:* on JudoInside.com...
, Greek judoka - Dionysios KasdaglisDionysios KasdaglisDionysios Kasdaglis was a Greek-Egyptian tennis player. He competed in the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.-Career:Kasdaglis, the only competitor from Egypt, made it to the finals in both the singles and doubles events...
, Greek-Egyptian tennis player - Dionysis MakrisDionysis MakrisDionysis Makris born Dionysis Syntrivanis, is a popular Greek singer, of laiko music.-Biography:Makris was born on February 5, 1982 in Thessaloniki, Greece and was on the Greek talent show Dreamshow....
, Greek singer - Dionysis PapagiannopoulosDionysis PapagiannopoulosDionysis Papagiannopoulos was one of the most talented and loved actors in Greece. He studied at the Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece and made his stage debut in 1938, appearing as the Knight in William Shakespeare’s King Lear...
, Greek actor - Dionysis SavvopoulosDionysis SavvopoulosDionysis Savvopoulos is a Greek music composer, lyricist and singer.He was born in Thessaloniki. In 1963 he moved to Athens, terminating his law studies in favour of his career in music...
, Greek songwriter, lyricist and singer - Dionysios SolomosDionysios SolomosDionysios Solomos was a Greek poet from Zakynthos. He is best known for writing the Hymn to Liberty , of which the first two stanzas, set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros, became the Greek national anthem in 1865...
, Greek poet