Leo
(Λέων), or LEON, Greek writers.
1. ACADEMICUS, called by Justin the historian and Suidas LEONIDES (Λεωνίδης)
He was apparently a native of Heracleia in Pontus, and a disciple of Plato. He was one of the conspirators who, with their leader, Chion, in the reign of Ochus, king of Persia, B. C. 353, or, according to Orelli, B. C. 351, assassinated Clearchus, tyrant of Heracleia. [CHION, CLEARCHUS.] The greater part of the conspirators were killed on the spot by the tyrant's guards; others were afterwards taken and put to a cruel death; but which fate befel Leo is not mentioned.
Works
Alcyon (Ἀλκυών)
Nicias of Nicaea (apud Athen. 11.506, ed. Casaubon), and Favorinus (Diog. Laert.3.37) ascribed to a certain Leo the Academic the dialogue Alcyon (Ἀλκυών).
Attributions to other authors
This was, in the time of Athenaeus, by some ascribed to Plato; and has in modern times been printed among the works of Lucian, by whom it was certainly not written; and from the general character of whose writings the subject (the power of God displayed in his works) is altogether alien. Fabricius identifies the author of the Dialogue with the accomplice of Chion; but we know not on what ground.
Further Information
Memnon, apud Phot. Bibl. cod. 224, sub init.; Just. 16.5; Suidas, s. v. Κλέαρχος; Athen. l.c.; Diog. Laert. l.c.; Lucian, Opera, vol. i. p. 128, ed. Bipont; Fabric. Bibl. Gr. vol. iii. pp. 108, 173, 178.
From William Smith (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Text provided under a CC BY-SA license by Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Tufts University. Data accessed from https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-pdlrefwk/ on 17 October 2026.