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The third century before the common era was a time of empire-making and empire-breaking especially in the western Mediterranean, where a conflict was brewing that would shape the future of the known world. |
Ancient Sources
(- threads, 15 posts)
 Diodoros Siculus
Historical Thread
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Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian, born at Agyrium in Sicily (now called Agira, in the province of Enna).
Jerome dates Diodorus' flourit to 49 BC (Chronica, s.a. Abraham 1968), which is supported by Diodorus' own statements. The earliest date Diodorus mentions is his visit to Egypt in the 180th Olympiad (between 60 and 56 BC), which was marked by his witnessing an angry mob demand the death of a Roman citizen who had accidentally killed a cat, an animal sacred to the ancient Egyptians (Bibliotheca historia 1.41, 1.83). The latest event Diodorus mentions is Octavian's vengeance on the city of Tauromenium, whose refusal to help him led to Octavian's naval defeat nearby in 36 BC (16.7). Diodorus shows no knowledge that Egypt became a Roman province -- which transpired in 30 BC -- so presumably he published his completed work before that event. Diodorus asserts that he devoted thirty years to the composition of his history, and that he undertook a number of dangerous journeys through Europe and Asia in prosecution of his historical researches; however, modern critics have noted several surprising mistakes that an eye-witness would not be expected to have made. His history, which he named Bibliotheca historia ("Historical Library"), consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, and describe the history and culture of Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (II), of North Africa (III), and of Greece and Europe (IV - VI). In the next section (books VII - XVII), he recounts the history of the World starting with the Trojan War, down to the death of Alexander the Great. The last section (books XVII to the end) concerns the historical events from the successors of Alexander down to either 60 BC or the beginning of Caesar's Gallic War in 45 BC. (The end has been lost, so it unclear whether Diodorus reached the beginning of the Gallic War as he promised at the beginning of his work or, as evidence suggests, old and tired from his labors he stopped short at 60 BC.) He selected the name "Bibliotheca" in acknowledgement that he was assembling a composite work from many sources. The authors he drew from, who have been identified, include: Hecataeus, Ctesius of Cnidus, Ephorus, Theopompus, Hieronymus of Cardia, Duris of Samos, Diyullis, Philistus, Timaeus, Polybius and Posidonius.
