Dionysius was a Greek of the 3rd century BCE, who was sent as ambassador to the court of the Indian emperor Ashoka, by Ptolemy Philadelphus.^[1] Emperor Ashoka (a possible depiction) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) (304 BC–232 BC) was the emperor of the Maurya Empire from 273 BC to 232 BC. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan and parts of... Ptolemy Philadelphus (36 - 12 BC) was the youngest child of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. ...

He was preceded in this role by Megasthenes, ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya, and Deimachus, ambassador to his son, and father of Ashoka, Bindusara. Megasthenes (c. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Bindusara Maurya Reign: 322 BC-298 BC Place of birth: India Chandragupta Maurya (Sanskrit: चन्द्रगुप्त मौर्य; Greek: Sandrocottus ) (ruled 322–298 BC) was the founder of the Mauryan Empire. ... Deimakos (3rd century BCE), also Deimachus, was a Greek of the Seleucid Empire. ... Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (297 - c. ...

Dionysius is mentionned in a passage of Pliny the Elder: Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19c portrait. ...

"But [India] has been treated of by several other Greek writers who resided at the courts of Indian kings, such, for instance, as Megasthenes, and by Dionysius, who was sent thither by Philadelphus, expressly for the purpose: all of whom have enlarged upon the power and vast resources of these nations." Pliny the Elder, "The Natural History", Chap. 21 ^[2]

Notes

1. ^ "The shape of ancient thought", p367
2. ^ Pliny the Elder, "The Natural History", Chap. 21

References

• "The shape of ancient thought", McEvilly