This aspect of the story seems to be corroborated by archaeology: large numbers of defaced coins (smashed with a large chisel stamp) have been discovered at Sinope dating from the middle of the 4th century BC, and other coins of the time bear the name of Hicesias as the official who minted them. At some point (the exact date is unknown), Hicesias and Diogenes became embroiled in a scandal involving the adulteration or debasement of the currency, and Diogenes was exiled from the city, lost his citizenship, and all his material possessions.
It seems likely that Diogenes was also enrolled into the banking business aiding his father. Nothing is known about Diogenes' early life except that his father Hicesias was a banker. All that is available are a number of anecdotes concerning his life and sayings attributed to him in a number of scattered classical sources. None of Diogenes's many writings have survived, but details of his life come in the form of anecdotes ( chreia), especially from Diogenes Laërtius, in his book Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers. There he passed his philosophy of Cynicism to Crates, who taught it to Zeno of Citium, who fashioned it into the school of Stoicism, one of the most enduring schools of Greek philosophy. Diogenes was also noted for having publicly mocked Alexander the Great.Īfter being captured by pirates and sold into slavery, Diogenes eventually settled in Corinth. He criticized and embarrassed Plato, disputed his interpretation of Socrates and sabotaged his lectures, sometimes distracting attendees by bringing food and eating during the discussions. He became notorious for his philosophical stunts such as carrying a lamp in the daytime, claiming to be looking for an honest man. He begged for a living and often slept in a large ceramic jar in the marketplace.
There are many tales about his dogging Antisthenes' footsteps and becoming his "faithful hound". He declared himself a cosmopolitan and a citizen of the world rather than claiming allegiance to just one place. In a highly non-traditional fashion, he had a reputation of sleeping and eating wherever he chose and took to toughening himself against nature. He used his simple lifestyle and behaviour to criticize the social values and institutions of what he saw as a corrupt or at least confused society. He believed that virtue was better revealed in action than in theory. Diogenes modelled himself on the example of Heracles. After being exiled, he moved to Athens and criticized many cultural conventions of the city. His father minted coins for a living, and when Diogenes took to debasement of currency, he was banished from Sinope.
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