36 Facts About Diogenes

Diogenes was born in Sinope, an Ionian colony on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia in 412 or 404 BC and died at Corinth in 323 BC.

Diogenes was allegedly banished, or fled from, Sinope for debasement of currency.

Diogenes was the son of the mintmaster of Sinope, and there is some debate as to whether or not he alone had debased the Sinopian currency, whether his father had done this, or whether they had both done it.

Diogenes was captured by pirates and sold into slavery, eventually settling in Corinth.

Diogenes begged for a living and often slept in a large ceramic jar, or pithos, in the marketplace.

Diogenes used his simple lifestyle and behavior to criticize the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt, confused society.

Diogenes had a reputation for sleeping and eating wherever he chose in a highly non-traditional fashion and took to toughening himself against nature.

Diogenes declared himself a cosmopolitan and a citizen of the world rather than claiming allegiance to just one place.

Diogenes modeled himself on the example of Heracles, believing that virtue was better revealed in action than in theory.

Diogenes became notorious for his philosophical stunts, such as carrying a lamp during the day, claiming to be looking for a "man".

Diogenes criticized Plato, disputed his interpretation of Socrates, and sabotaged his lectures, sometimes distracting listeners by bringing food and eating during the discussions.

Diogenes was noted for having mocked Alexander the Great, both in public and to his face when he visited Corinth in 336 BC.

Nothing is known about Diogenes's early life except that his father, Hicesias, was a banker.

Diogenes traveled to Athens and made it his life's goal to challenge established customs and values.

Diogenes argued that instead of being troubled about the true nature of evil, people merely rely on customary interpretations.

Diogenes arrived in Athens with a slave named Manes who escaped from him shortly thereafter.

Diogenes found the figure of a master who could do nothing for himself contemptibly helpless.

Diogenes was attracted by the ascetic teaching of Antisthenes, a student of Socrates.

When Diogenes asked Antisthenes to mentor him, Antisthenes ignored him and reportedly "eventually beat him off with his staff".

Diogenes considered his avoidance of earthly pleasures a contrast to and commentary on contemporary Athenian behaviors.

Diogenes destroyed the single wooden bowl he possessed on seeing a peasant boy drink from the hollow of his hands.

Diogenes tried to demonstrate that wisdom and happiness belong to the man who is independent of society and that civilization is regressive.

Diogenes scorned not only family and socio-political organization, but property rights and reputation.

Diogenes is said to have eaten in the marketplace, urinated on some people who insulted him, defecated in the theatre, and masturbated in public, and pointed at people with his middle finger, which was considered insulting.

Diogenes had nothing but disdain for Plato and his abstract philosophy.

Diogenes viewed Antisthenes as the true heir to Socrates, and shared his love of virtue and indifference to wealth, together with a disdain for general opinion.

Diogenes shared Socrates's belief that he could function as doctor to men's souls and improve them morally, while at the same time holding contempt for their obtuseness.

Diogenes Laertius relates a number of more bawdy tales whereby Diogenes would spit, urinate on people, fart, and masturbate in public.

Diogenes's contemporaries alleged he had held his breath until he expired; although other accounts of his death say he had become ill from eating raw octopus; or to have suffered an infected dog bite.

Cynic ideas are inseparable from Cynic practice; therefore what is known about Diogenes is contained in anecdotes concerning his life and sayings attributed to him in a number of scattered classical sources.

Many anecdotes of Diogenes refer to his dog-like behavior, and his praise of a dog's virtues.

Diogenes believed human beings live artificially and hypocritically and would do well to study the dog.

An exile and an outcast, a man with no social identity, Diogenes made a mark on his contemporaries.

Diogenes's name has been applied to a behavioural disorder characterised by apparently involuntary self-neglect and hoarding.

The disorder afflicts the elderly and is quite inappropriately named, as Diogenes deliberately rejected common standards of material comfort, and was anything but a hoarder.

The name itself is often criticised as Diogenes believed he was helping himself.