(Ἀντίοχος), of AEGAE in Cilicia, a sophist, or as he himself pretended to be, a Cynic philosopher. He flourished about A. D. 200, during the reign of Severus and Caracalla. He belonged to a distinguished family, some members of which were afterwards raised to the consulship at Rome. He took no part in the political affairs of his native place, but with his large property, which was increased by the liberality of the emperors, he was enabled to support and relieve his fellow-citizens whenever it was needed. He used to spend his nights in the temple of Asclepius, partly on account of the dreams and the communications with the god in them, and partly on account of the conversation of other persons who likewise spent their nights there without being able to sleep. During the war of Caracalla against the Parthians he was at first of some service to the Roman army by his Cynic mode of life, but afterwards he deserted to the Parthians together with Tiridates.
Antiochus was one of the most distinguished rhetoricians of his time. He was a pupil of Dardanus, the Assyrian, and Dionysius, the Milesian. He used to speak extempore, and his declamations and orations were distinguished for their pathos, their richness in thought, and the precision of their style, which had nothing of the pomp and bombast of other rhetoricians. But he also acquired some reputation as a writer. Philostratus mentions an historical work of his (ἱστορία) which is praised for the elegance of its style, but what was the subject of this history is unknown. Phrynichus (p. 32) refers to a work of his called Ἀγορά. (Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.4. 5.4; D. C. 77.19 ; Suidas, s.v. Eudoc. p. 58.)
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