Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (; 1st century BC) was an
ancient Greek
Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
from
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
. He is known for writing the monumental
universal history Universal history may refer to:
* Universal history (genre), a literary genre
**''Jami' al-tawarikh'', 14th-century work of literature and history, produced by the Mongol Ilkhanate in Persia
** Universal History (Sale et al), ''Universal History'' ...
''
Bibliotheca historica
''Bibliotheca historica'' (, ) is a work of Universal history (genre), universal history by Diodorus Siculus. It consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, and describe the h ...
'', in forty books, fifteen of which survive intact, between 60 and 30 BC.
The history is arranged in three parts. The first covers mythic history up to the destruction of
Troy
Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...
, arranged geographically, describing regions around the world from Egypt, India and Arabia to Europe. The second covers the time from the
Trojan War
The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the twelfth or thirteenth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans (Ancient Greece, Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris (mytho ...
to the
death of Alexander the Great
The death of Alexander the Great and subsequent related events have been the subjects of debates. According to a Babylonian astronomical diaries, Babylonian astronomical diary, Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon between ...
. The third covers the period to about 60 BC. ''Bibliotheca'', meaning 'library', acknowledges that he was drawing on the work of many other authors.
Life
According to his own work, he was born in
Agyrium in
Sicily
Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
(now called Agira). With one exception,
antiquity affords no further information about his life and doings beyond his written works. Only
Jerome
Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome.
He is best known ...
, in his ''
Chronicon'' under the "year of
Abraham
Abraham (originally Abram) is the common Hebrews, Hebrew Patriarchs (Bible), patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father who began the Covenant (biblical), covenanta ...
1968" (49 BC), writes, "Diodorus of Sicily, a writer of Greek history, became illustrious". However, his
English translator,
Charles Henry Oldfather
Charles Henry Oldfather (13 June 1887 – 20 August 1954) was an American professor of Greek and Ancient History at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was born in Tabriz, Qajar dynasty, Persia.
Parentage
Oldfather's parents, Jeremiah and Feli ...
, remarks on the "striking coincidence" that one of only two known Greek inscriptions from Agyrium (''
Inscriptiones Graecae
The ''Inscriptiones Graecae'' (''IG''), Latin for ''Greek inscriptions'', is an academic project originally begun by the Prussian Academy of Science, and today continued by its successor organisation, the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences a ...
'' XIV, 588) is the tombstone of one "Diodorus, the son of Apollonius" (“''Διόδωρος ∙ Ἀπολλωνίου''”) . The final work attributed to him is from 21 BC.
Work
Diodorus'
universal history Universal history may refer to:
* Universal history (genre), a literary genre
**''Jami' al-tawarikh'', 14th-century work of literature and history, produced by the Mongol Ilkhanate in Persia
** Universal History (Sale et al), ''Universal History'' ...
, which he named ''Bibliotheca historica'' (, "Historical Library"), was immense and consisted of 40 books, of which 1–5 and 11–20 survive:
fragments of the lost books are preserved in
Photius
Photius I of Constantinople (, ''Phōtios''; 815 – 6 February 893), also spelled ''Photius''Fr. Justin Taylor, essay "Canon Law in the Age of the Fathers" (published in Jordan Hite, T.O.R., and Daniel J. Ward, O.S.B., "Readings, Cases, Mate ...
and the ''
Excerpts'' of
Constantine Porphyrogenitus
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Byzantine emperor of the Macedonian dynasty, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, an ...
.
It was divided into three sections. The first section (books I–VI) deals with the mythic history of the non-
Hellenic and Hellenic tribes up to the destruction of Troy and is geographical in theme, describing the history and culture of
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...
(book I), of
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Scythia
Scythia (, ) or Scythica (, ) was a geographic region defined in the ancient Graeco-Roman world that encompassed the Pontic steppe. It was inhabited by Scythians, an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people.
Etymology
The names ...
, and
Arabia
The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world.
Geographically, the ...
(II), of
North Africa
North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
(III), and of
Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and Europe (IV–VI).
The next section (books VII–XVII) recounts the history of the world from the
Trojan War
The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the twelfth or thirteenth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans (Ancient Greece, Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris (mytho ...
down to the
death of Alexander the Great
The death of Alexander the Great and subsequent related events have been the subjects of debates. According to a Babylonian astronomical diaries, Babylonian astronomical diary, Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon between ...
. 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
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
's
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, and Switzerland). Gauls, Gallic, Germanic peoples, Germanic, and Celtic Britons, Brittonic trib ...
. The end has been lost, so it is unclear whether Diodorus reached the beginning of the Gallic War as he promises at the beginning of his work or, as evidence suggests, old and tired from his labours, he stopped short at 60 BC.
Diodorus selected the name "Bibliotheca" in acknowledgment that he was assembling a composite work from many sources. Identified authors on whose works he drew include
Hecataeus of Abdera Hecataeus (Greek: Ἑκαταῖος) is a Greek name shared by several historical figures:
* Hecataeus of Miletus
Hecataeus of Miletus (; ; c. 550 – c. 476 BC), son of Hegesander, was an early Greek historian and geographer.
Bio ...
,
Ctesias of Cnidus
Ctesias ( ; ; ), also known as Ctesias of Cnidus, was a Hellenic civilization, Greek physician and historian from the town of Cnidus in Caria, then part of the Achaemenid Empire.
Historical events
Ctesias, who lived in the fifth century BC, was ...
,
Ephorus
Ephorus of Cyme (; , ''Ephoros ho Kymaios''; 330 BC) was an ancient Greek historian known for his universal history, now lost.
Biography
Information on his biography is limited. He was born in Cyme, Aeolia, and together with the historia ...
,
Theopompus
Theopompus (, ''Theópompos''; 380 BC 315 BC) was an ancient Greek historian and rhetorician who was a student of Isocrates.
Biography
Early life and education
Theopompus was born on the Aegean island of Chios in 378 or 377 BCE. In his ear ...
,
Hieronymus of Cardia
Hieronymus of Cardia (, ) was a Greek general and historian from Cardia in Thrace, and a contemporary of Alexander the Great (356–323 BC).
After the death of Alexander III, he followed the fortunes of his friend and fellow-countryman Eumenes
...
,
Duris of Samos
Duris of Samos (or Douris) (; BCafter 281BC) was a Greek historian and was at some period tyrant of Samos. Duris was the author of a narrative history of events in Greece and especially Macedonia from 371BC to 281BC, which has been lost. Othe ...
,
Diyllus
Diyllus (), probably the son of Phanodemus the Atthidographer (a chronicler of the local history of Athens and Attica), wrote a universal history of the years 357–296 BC. His work seems to have been a continuation of Ephorus' history, an ...
,
Philistus
Philistus (; 432 – 356 BC), son of Archomenidas, was a Greek historian from Sicily, Magna Graecia. Life
Philistus was born in Syracuse around the time the Peloponnesian War began. He was a faithful supporter of the elder Dionysius, and c ...
,
Timaeus,
Polybius
Polybius (; , ; ) was a Greek historian of the middle Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , a universal history documenting the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean in the third and second centuries BC. It covered the period of 264–146 ...
, and
Posidonius
Posidonius (; , "of Poseidon") "of Apameia" (ὁ Ἀπαμεύς) or "of Rhodes" (ὁ Ῥόδιος) (), was a Greeks, Greek politician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, historian, mathematician, and teacher native to Apamea (Syria), Apame ...
.
See also
*
Acadine
*
Callon of Epidaurus
*
Diophantus of Abae
*
Hellenic historiography
Hellenic historiography (or Greek historiography) involves efforts made by Greeks to track and record historical events. By the 5th century BC, it became an integral part of ancient Greek literature and held a prestigious place in later Roman hist ...
*
Historic recurrence
Historic recurrence is the repetition of similar events in history. The concept of historic recurrence has variously been applied to overall human history (''e.g.'', to the rises and falls of empires), to repetitive patterns in the history of ...
*
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...
*
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
* Ambaglio, Delfino. 1995. ''La Biblioteca storica di Diodoro Siculo. Problemi e metodo.'' Como: Edizioni New Press.
* Braithwaite-Westoby, Kara.
Diodorus and the Alleged Revolts of 374–373 BCE" Classical Philology 115, no. 2 (April 2020): 265–270.
* Clarke, Katherine. 1999. "Universal perspectives in Historiography." In ''The Limits of Historiography: Genre and Narrative in Ancient Historical Texts.'' Edited by Christina Shuttleworth Kraus, 249–279. Mnemosyne. Supplementum 191. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.
* Hammond, Nicholas G. L. 1998. "Portents, Prophecies, and Dreams in Diodorus' Books 14–17." ''Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies'' 39.4: 407–428.
* Hau, Lisa Irene, Alexander Meeus, and Brian Sheridan (eds.). 2018. ''Diodoros of Sicily: Historiographical Theory and Practice in the Bibliotheke.'' Peeters: Leuven.
*
Laqueur, Richard. 1992. ''Diodors Geschichtswerk – Die Überlieferung von Buch I-V.'' Frankfurt am Main.
* McQueen, Earl I. 1995. ''Diodorus Siculus. The Reign of Philip II: The Greek and Macedonian Narrative from Book XVI. A Companion.'' London: Bristol Classical Press.
* Muntz, Charles E. 2017. ''Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman Republic.'' New York: Oxford Univ. Press.
* Rathmann, Michael. 2016. ''Diodor und seine „Bibliotheke“. Weltgeschichte aus der Provinz.'' Berlin: de Gruyter, .
* Rubincam, Catherine. 1987. "The Organization and Composition of Diodorus' Bibliotheke." ''Échos du monde classique (= Classical views)'' 31:313–328.
* Sacks, Kenneth S. 1990. ''Diodorus Siculus and the First Century.'' Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press.
* Sinclair, Robert K. 1963. "Diodorus Siculus and the Writing of History." ''Proceedings of the African Classical Association'' 6:36–45.
* Stronk, Jan P. 2017. ''Semiramis' Legacy. The History of Persia According to Diodorus of Sicily.'' Edinburgh: Edinburgh Univ. Press.
* Sulimani, Iris. 2008. "Diodorus' Source-Citations: A Turn in the Attitude of Ancient Authors Towards their Predecessors?" ''Athenaeum'' 96.2: 535–567.
* Wirth, Gerhard. 2007. ''Katastrophe und Zukunftshoffnung. Mutmaßungen zur zweiten Hälfte von Diodors Bibliothek und ihren verlorenen Büchern.'' Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, .
External links
; Greek original works
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; English translations
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Diodorus Siculus
1st-century BC Greek writers
1st-century BC historians
30s BC deaths
90s BC births
Classical geography
Hellenistic-era historians
Historians from Magna Graecia
Sicilian Greeks
Works about mining
Historians of Phoenicia