Life Dionysius, son of Calliphon, was a Greek geographer of the Hellenistic period. No biographical details about his life are preserved beyond his name and his single known work [1][2][3]. His activity is dated to the 2nd century BCE based on internal evidence from his writing [1][2].

Works His only attested work is the Periegesis of the Inhabited World (Περιήγησις τῆς οἰκουμένης), a didactic poem composed in Homeric hexameters that describes the known world [1][2][3].

Significance Dionysius’s significance rests on his Periegesis, which exemplifies the popularization of geographical knowledge in verse. Written as a versified textbook, it was widely used in Roman and Late Antique education for its accessible format [1][2]. Its enduring influence is shown by its translation into Latin by Priscian in the 4th century CE, and it remains a key source for understanding the transmission of Greek geographical thought [1][2].

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-2206 2. Perseus Digital Library, Catalog of Authors: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry=dionusi-os-calliphonis 3. Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=dionysius-art-bio-32