CNet has a top ten list of nerds and geeks, among whom is Diogenes ... here's what they say about him:

A contemporary of Socrates, Diogenes puts modern geeks to shame. If you think being holed up in your room playing videogames is intense, consider Diogenes. He spent many of his years living in a barrel outside the temple of Cybele in Athens, formulating philosophies. Alexander the Great is said to have visited Diogenes in his barrel, but from inside the dark barrel the only thing Diogenes could bring himself to say to Alexander was, "Stand out of my sunlight".

If you check out the rest of the list, it's clear there is a serious omission -- the other ubergeek of the ancient world, namely, Archimedes. You know that if he were alive, he'd be tapping away on a Linux-equipped box that he either put together himself or seriously modded. He'd be a subscriber and frequent contributor to Make and would have numerous videos on YouTube (but his would 'work'). He'd probably be an advisor to the Mythbusters gang (if he wasn't telegenic and could take a hosting job himself) and about this time of year he'd be enjoying his success at a pumpkin chuckin' contest ...

Of course, Archimedes' nomination ultimately comes from the manner of his death ... here's the version from Valerius Maximus (via the Archimedes home page)

I should say that Archimedes' diligence also bore fruit if it had not both given him life and taken it away. At the capture of Syracuse Marcellus had been aware that his victory had been held up much and long by Archimedes' machines. However, pleased with the man's exceptional skill, he gave out that his life was to be spared, putting almost as much glory in saving Archimedes as in crushing Syracuse. But as Archimedes was drawing diagrams with mind and eyes fixed on the ground, a soldier who had broken into the house in quest of loot with sword drawn over his head asked him who he was. Too much absorbed in tracking down his objective, Archimedes could not give his name but said, protecting the dust with his hands, "I beg you, don't disturb this," and was slaughtered as neglectful of the victor's command; with his blood he confused the lines of his art. So it fell out that he was first granted his life and then stripped of it by reason of the same pursuit.

... and, of course, that's his image up there in the banner of rc ...