Despite their many differences, John the Seer of Patmos and Dio the rhetorphilosopher of Prusa share a basic critique of the Roman Empire. Limiting the comparison to Rev. 18 and Dio's twelfth Olympic Oration (with an important reference to Dio's thirteenth Oration), this essay concludes that John and Dio critique the violence, exploitation and luxury of Rome, grounding their analysis in divine sovereignty over earthly rulers. This common critique suggests that John's message may have been sympathetically heard by a wider audience than simply a few Christian communities, and that Revelation should be reevaluated in this light.
Aune, David E.1997, 1998 Revelation (3 vols.; WBC, 52a, b, c; Dallas: Word Books ).
2.
Bauckham, Richard1991 `The Economic Critique of Rome in Revelation 18', in Loveday Alexander (ed.), Images of Empire (JSOTSup, 122; Sheffield: JSOT Press): 47-86.
3.
Beale, G.K.1999The Book of Revelation (NIGTC; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
4.
Bowersock, G.W.1973 `Greek Intellectuals and the Imperial Cult', in Willem den Boer (ed.), Le culte des souverains dans l'Empire romain (Geneva: Fondation Hardt): 177-212.
5.
Cary, M., and H.H. Scullard1975A History of Rome (3rd edn; London: Macmillan).
6.
Charles, R.H.1989[1920] Revelation (2 vols.; ICC; Edinburgh: T&T Clark ).
7.
Collins, Adela Yarbro1980 `Revelation 18: Taunt-Song or Dirge', in Jan Lambrecht (ed.), L'Apocalypse johannique et l'Apocalyptique dans le Nouveau Testament (Leuven: Leuven University Press): 185-204.
8.
Desideri, Paolo1991 `Dione di Prusa fra ellenismo e romanità', ANRW, II.33.5: 3882-901.
9.
2000 `City and Country', in Simon Swain (ed.), Dio Chrysostom: Politics, Letters and Philosophy (Oxford: Clarendon Press): 93-107.
10.
Elliot, Susan M.1995 `Who is Addressed in Revelation 18:6-7?', BR40: 98-113.
11.
Friesen, Steven J.2003 `The Beast from the Earth: Revelation13.11-18 and Social Setting', in David Barr (ed.), Readings in the Book of Revelation: A Resource for Students (Atlanta: Scholars Press): 49-64.
12.
2005 `Satan's Throne, Imperial Cults and the Social Settings of Revelation', JSNT27.3: 351-73.
13.
Harris, B.F.1962 `The Olympian Oration of Dio Chrysostom', Historical Studies10.38: 85-97.
14.
1966 `The Moral and Political Ideas of Dio Chrysostom with Special Reference to the Bithynian Speeces' (unpublished PhD dissertation, University of Auckland).
15.
1991 `Dio of Prusa: A Survey of Recent Work', ANRW, II.33.5: 3853-81.
16.
Jones, C.P.1978The Roman World of Dio Chrysostom ( Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press).
17.
Klauck, Hans-Josef2001 `Do they Never Come Back? Nero Redivivus and the Apocalypse of John', CBQ63.4: 683-98.
18.
Klauck, Hans-Josef, and Balbina Bäbler2002Dion von Prusa: Olympische Rede (2nd edn; Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgeselleschaft).
19.
Moles, J.L.1978 `The Career and Conversion of Dio Chrysostom', JHS98: 79-100.
20.
Mounce, Robert H.1998The Book of Revelation (rev. edn; NICNT ; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
21.
Mussies, G.1972Dio Chrysostom and the New Testament ( Leiden: Brill).
22.
Polenz, Max1966Freedom in Greek Life and Thought: The History of an Ideal (trans. Carl Lofmark; New York: Humanities).
23.
Rossing, Barbara1999The Choice between Two Cities (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International).
24.
2005 `City Visions, Feminine Figures and Economic Critique: A Sapiential Topos in the Apocalypse', in Benjamin G. Wright III and Lawrence M. Wills (eds.), Conflicted Boundaries in Wisdom and Apocalypticism (Atlanta : Society of Biblical Literature): 181-96.
25.
Royalty, Robert M., Jr 1998The Streets of Heaven: The Ideology of Wealth in the Apocalypse of John (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press).
26.
Russell, D.A. (ed.) 1992Dio Chrysostom: Orations VII, XII and XXXVI (New York: Cambridge University Press).
27.
Salmeri, Giovanni2000 `Dio, Rome and the Civic Life of Asia Minor', in Simon Swain (ed.), Dio Chrystostom: Politics, Letters, and Philosophy (Oxford: Clarendon Press): 53-92.
28.
Sidebottom, Harry1993 `Philosopher's Attitudes to Warfare under the Principate', in John Rich and Graham Shipley (eds.), War and Society in the Roman World (London: Routledge): 241-64.
