Cassius Dio's Influence On The Roman Empire

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When thinking of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, there are many influential figures that come into the minds of others. The history of Rome would not have been the same without the impact of its greatest leaders. One of the most monumental people that left a significant meaning on Rome and its empire is Cassius Dio. Many areas of achievement that Dio acquired include: government, politics, war, and conquest. From being an overenthusiastic republican, a Roman military leader, to the mastermind of the assassination of Julius Caesar, the story of Cassius Dio will never be forgotten in Roman history. Cassius Dio, also known as Gaius Cassius Longinus or Cassius Dio Cocceianus, was born in 164 A.D. and from Nikaia in Bithynia. His name was given being that he was a close relative of the famous orator, Dio …show more content…
He was able to write the story of Rome in eighty books, but only books 36-60 survived. The rest of Roman history is found from excerpts or epitomes from the missing books. Besides possessing a background of governmental and military service, his writing was also influenced by three other factors: his attitude towards history, the availability of sources, and his attitude towards the military. “Dio wrote a long history of Rome from its foundation until AD 229, of which the section from 69 BC to AD 46 is largely extant while other parts are known in various excerpted, summarized, or fragmented forms,” (Eskrine 9). This type of historical work offered valuable insights into the way that its people perceived Rome. The thoroughness of his work was phenomenal. Cassius claimed to have read widely, exceedingly collected material for ten years, and wrote after evaluation for twelve years. His writing style was unique being that he wanted to write a history that people would want to read. Additionally, the accuracy of the work was an enduring