Leo
or
Leon (
Λέων).
1.
Also called Leonĭdes (
Λεωνίδης), of Heraclea on the Pontus, a disciple of Plato. He was one of
the conspirators who, with their leader, Chion, assassinated Clearchus, tyrant of Heraclea,
B.C. 353.
2.
Diacŏnus, or the Deacon, a Byzantine historian of the
tenth century. His history, in ten books, includes the period from the Cretan expedition of
Nicephorus Phocas, in the reign of the emperor Romanus II. (A.D. 959), to the death of
Ioannes I. Zimisces (A.D. 975). The style of Leo is corrupt; he employs unusual and
inappropriate words, many of them borrowed from Homer, Agiathias the historian, and the
Septuagint, in the place of common ones; and he abounds in tautological phrases. His history,
however, is a valuable contemporary record of a stirring time, honestly and fearlessly
written. It is edited by Migne
(Paris, 1863).
3.
Grammatĭcus, one of the
continuators of Byzantine history from the period when Theophanes leaves off. His work,
entitled
Chronographia, extends from the accession of Leo V. the Armenian
(A.D. 813) to the death of Romanus Lecapenus (A.D. 944).
4.
Archbishop of Thessalonica, an eminent Byzantine philosopher and ecclesiastic of the ninth
century. His works are lost, but he is frequently mentioned in terms of the highest praise by
the Byzantine writers, especially for his knowledge of geometry and astronomy.
5.
Magentēnus, a commentator on Aristotle, flourished
during the first half of the fourteenth century. He was a monk, and afterwards archbishop of
Mitylené. Several of his commentaries on Aristotle are extant, and have been
published.
6.
Leo was also the name of six Byzantine emperors. Of these, Leo VI., “the
philosopher,” who reigned 886-911, is celebrated in the history of the later Greek
literature. He wrote a treatise on Greek tactics, and several other works, which are still
extant. He is also celebrated in the history of legislation. As the Latin language had long
ceased to be the official language of the Eastern Empire, Basil, the father of Leo, had
formed and partly executed the plan of issuing an authorized Greek version of Iustinian's
legislation. This plan was carried out by Leo. The Greek version is known under the title of
Βασιλικαὶ Διατάξεις, or shortly,
Βασιλικαί; in Latin,
Basilica, which means “Imperial
Constitutions,” or “Laws.” See
Basilica.
