Lucian of Samosata in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum

From Cynicism to Christianity to Brahmanism and self-immolation. All new to me. Surprised Lucian mentions the Brahmans, "τους Βραχμανάς" by name (section 39).

From the Loeb edition: "Death of Peregrinus is an account of the life and death of a Cynic philosopher who for a time in his early life went over to Christianity, practicing it to the point of imprisonment under a very tolerant administration, and after returning to Cynicism became in his old age so enamored of Indic ideas and precedents that he cremated himself at Olympia, just after the games of A.D. 165, even as Calanus had done at Susa in the presence of Alexander the Great and as Zarmarus had done at Athens, after initiation into the mysteries, in the presence of Augustus.

Writing soon after the event, of which he was a witness, Lucian makes his main theme the story of what went on at Olympia."

These are enlightening posts, Joshua . Thanks for pulling these individual authors out and highlighting them. This list would seem to lend itself as a starting point for a must-read list

For anyone interested in a little background:

Index Librorum Prohibitorum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org