Dionysius of Lamptrai (Ancient Greek: Διονύσιος; fl. 3rd century BC) was an Epicurean philosopher who served as the head (scholarch) of the Epicurean school in Athens. He succeeded Polystratus as scholarch around 219 BC and died around 205 BC, after which he was succeeded by Basilides.
The primary ancient source for his life is Diogenes Laërtius' Lives of the Eminent Philosophers (Book X, §25), which lists him in the succession of Epicurean scholarchs. Additional information comes from the Herculaneum papyri, where the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus mentions a pact (συνθήχην) that Dionysius made with Diotimus of Semachidae, likely concerning the succession to the scholarchate. The agreement is dated to the archonship of Menecrates, in the month of Gamelion, and identifies Dionysius as the son of Dionysius, of the deme of Lamptrai.
Lamptrai (Λαμπτραί) was a deme (administrative district) of ancient Attica, with both an Upper Lamptrai (Lamptrai Kathyperthen) and a Lower or Maritime Lamptrai (Lamptrai Paraloi).
References
- Laërtius, Diogenes (1925). "Epicurus". Lives of the Eminent Philosophers. Vol. 2:10. Translated by Hicks, Robert Drew. Loeb Classical Library. § 25.
- Dorandi, Tiziano (1999). "Chapter 2: Chronology". In Algra, Keimpe; et al. (eds.). The Cambridge History of Hellenistic Philosophy. Cambridge University Press. p. 52. ISBN 9780521250283.
