John Xiphilinus

John Xiphilinos, writer of an extract of Dio Cassius, lived at Constantinople Opel in the second half of the 11th century. He was a monk and a famous preacher, a nephew of the same Patriarch of Constantinople Opel ( Migne, Patrologia Graeca, cxx. ).

The extract of Dios work was prepared on the orders of Michael VII Parapinakes but is incomplete. It includes the time of Pompey and Caesar to Alexander Severus. In book 70 of his copy of the reigns of Antoninus Pius and the first years of Marcus Aurelius seem to be missing, while in the books probably a mutilated original was used 78 and 79. Xiphilinos divided the work into sections, one for the life of an emperor. He had the names of the consuls away and changed or corrected occasionally the original. The extract has value because it preserves the significant events of the time in which Dio has gaps.