The Diogenion (Ancient Greek: Διογένειον) was a gymnasie in ancient Athens, whose exact location is now unknown. It derives its name from Diogenes Euergetes, an Athener who had been the guarantor commander of the Macedonian troops in Attica since 233 and caused Attica and Athens in 229 BC. by payment of 150 talents were freed from the domination by the Macedonians. The hero of Diogenes Euergetes was also found in the gymnasium. Every year, the Diogeneia, a festival of games, was held in his honor.
This gymnasie was important in the Hellenistic period, because the Ephesians who performed their military service trained here. This 'efebie' was set up in the fourth century as a two-year service, but was undermined by Macedonian domination. After 229 BC. the ephemeris was revitalized. The service was now voluntary and lasted one year. However, because the ephesians now had to take care of their armor, it became a pre-school for the rich rather than an effective military school. The gymnasium has probably worked for about five centuries and is in 267 AD. at the plundering of Athens destroyed by the Heruls.
The Diogenion is called badly once in literary tradition, by Plutarchus (Moralia 736D = Quaestiones convivalium IX, 1), but occurs on numerous inscriptions. These were mostly found at the site of the former Byzantine church of Agios Demetrios Katiphoris in the vicinity of the current Kyrristou street, just north of the Acropolis. Although this does not have to be the precise location of the gymnasium because the stones are probably moved, the gymnasie must have been in this area. In the immediate vicinity there was also another gymnasie, the Ptolemy, and the sanctuary of Theseus.
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