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404 BC, the year when Diogenes was born in Sinope, Greece. Diogenes was a philosopher who, to quote William Desmond in his book "Cynics", "made a virtue out of poverty." He was known for living a very frugal lifestyle to criticize what he saw as a greedy and corrupt Greecian society. For example, he famously often slept in pithos, a large ceramic jar, in the marketplace.

He often made philosophical stunts, such as carrying a lamp during the day while claiming to be "looking for an honest man," the implication being that he wouldn't find one. His stunts are marked by spitting in the face of social norms and traditions, and he often did things like defecating in temples, urinating on those who insulted him, and masturbating in public.

His stunts earned him the derogatory nickname "Dog," which he took pride in. As a result of these public actions, he became fairly well-known, and inspired several later philosophers who became known as "Cynics."

His travels were numerous; he declared himself a "citizen of the world" and traveled often. Because of his unique philosophy, he became something of a folk legend, and many dubiously accurate tales sprung up around the idea of him; for instance, that he was kidnapped by pirates, or that he and Alexander the Great died on the same day.

Similarly, there are varying versions of his death. Some sources cite a dog bite, and some eating infected octopus. Before his death, he instructed his followers to throw his body out for the wild animals to feast on. When asked if he minded, he replied that as long as he had a stick to fend them off, he didn't mind.

When they pointed out that he would not be aware to use the stick, he replied that if he was not aware, he should not care about being eaten.

Diogenes' impact on ancient greecian culture was immense. He became one of the most popular stock characters in stories, and his legacy inspired many later philosophers. His ideas sparked much debate on traditions and social values, and this discussion continued long after his death.

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