Diogenes of Seleuceia was an Epicurean philosopher, who has sometimes been confused with Diogenes of Babylon, who was also a native of Seleucia. He lived at the court of Syria

Seleucid Empire

The Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...

, and was friends with king Alexander Balas

Alexander Balas

Alexander Balas , ruler of the Greek Seleucid kingdom 150-146 BC, was a native of Smyrna of humble origin, but gave himself out to be the son of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Laodice IV and heir to the Seleucid throne...

, the supposed son of Antiochus Epiphanes

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC. He was a son of King Antiochus III the Great. His original name was Mithridates; he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne....

. Athenaeus

Athenaeus

Athenaeus , of Naucratis in Egypt, Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourished about the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd century AD...

 relates that Diogenes asked the king for a golden crown and a purple robe so that he could represent himself as the priest of Virtue. The king, apparently, agreed, but Diogenes subsequently gave the crown and robe to a female singer he was in love with, and the king hearing of this, summoned the girl to a banquet wearing the robe and crown, to the general mirth of the other guests.

After Alexander was pushed off the throne c. 146 BCE, Diogenes was put to death, because "Antiochus

Antiochus VI Dionysus

Antiochus VI Dionysus , king of the Hellenistic Seleucid kingdom, was the son of Alexander Balas and Cleopatra Thea, daughter of Ptolemy VI of Egypt....

, who succeeded Alexander in the kingdom, could not tolerate the abusive language of this Diogenes."