Lucius (or
Claudius)
Cassius Dio (; alleged to have the
cognomen Cocceianus;
Dion Kassios Kokkeianos, c. AD 155–235), known in
English as
Cassius Dio,
Dio Cassius, or
Dio, was of
Greek origin,
Roman consul and noted
historian who wrote in
Greek. Dio published a history of
Rome in 80 volumes, beginning with the legendary arrival of
Aeneas in
Italy; the volumes then documented the subsequent
founding of Rome (753 BC), the
formation of the Republic (509 BC), and the
creation of the Empire (31 BC), up until AD 229. The entire period covered by Dio's work is approximately 1000 years. Of the 80 books, written over 22 years, many survive into the modern age, intact, or as fragments, providing modern scholars with a detailed perspective on Roman history.