Bibliotheca historica

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Medieval illuminated manuscript of the Bibliotheca historica, Latinized by Poggio Bracciolini (Malatestiana Library, ms. S.XXII.1).

Bibliotheca historica (

Ctesias of Cnidus, Ephorus, Theopompus, Hieronymus of Cardia, Duris of Samos, Diyllus, Philistus, Timaeus, Polybius and Posidonius
.

Diodorus' immense work has not survived intact; only the first five books and books 11 through 20 remain. The rest exists only in fragments preserved in Photius and the Excerpta of Constantine Porphyrogenitus.

Chronology

Octavian's victory over Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII
.

The earliest date Diodorus mentions is his visit to

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.

Structure

In the Bibliotheca historica, Diodorus sets out to write a universal history, covering the entire world and all periods of time. Each book opens with a table of its contents and a preface discussing the relevance of history, issues in the writing of history or the significance of the events discussed in that book. These are now generally agreed to be entirely Diodorus' own work.[1] The degree to which the text that follows is derived from earlier historical works is debated.

The first five books describe the history and culture of different regions, without attempting to determine the relative chronology of events. Diodorus expresses serious doubts that such chronology is possible for barbarian lands and the distant past. The resulting books have affinities with the genre of geography. Books six to ten, which covered the transition from mythical times to the archaic period, are almost entirely lost. By book ten he had taken up an annalistic structure,[2] narrating all the events throughout the world in each year before moving on to the next one. Books eleven to twenty, which are completely intact and cover events between 480 BC and 302 BC, maintain this annalistic structure. Books twenty-one to forty, which brought the work down to Diodorus' own lifetime, terminating around 60 BC, are mostly lost.[3]

Book I: Egypt

Book one opens with a prologue on the work as a whole, arguing for the importance of history generally and universal history in particular. The rest of the book is devoted to Egypt and is divided into two halves. In the first half he covers the origin of the world and the development of civilisation in Egypt. A long discussion of the theories offered by different Greek scholars to explain the annual floods of the

Agatharchides of Cnidus.[4]

Book II: Asia

This book has only a short prologue outlining its contents. The majority of the book is devoted to the history of the

Hyperboreans (chapters 43-47), and Arabia Felix (chapters 48-54). He finishes the book with an account of the traveller Iambulus' journey to a group of islands in the Indian Ocean
, which appears to be based on a Hellenistic utopian novel.

Book III: Africa

In this book, Diodorus describes the geography of

mining in Egypt
, with horrible working conditions:

And those who have been condemned in this way—and they are a great multitude and are all bound in chains—work at their task unceasingly both by day and throughout the entire night ... For no leniency or respite of any kind is given to any man who is sick, or maimed, or aged, or in the case of a woman for her weakness, but all without exception are compelled by blows to persevere in their labours, until through ill-treatment they die in the midst of their tortures.[7]

Book IV: Greek mythology

In this book, Diodorus describes the

Herakles, the Argonauts, Medea, the hero Theseus and the Seven against Thebes
.

Book V: Europe

In this book, Diodorus describes the geography of

Greek islands
.

Books VI–X: Trojan War and Archaic Greece

Books VI–X survive only in fragments, which cover events before and after the Trojan War including the stories of Bellerophon, Orpheus, Aeneas, and Romulus; some history from cities including Rome and Cyrene; tales of kings such as Croesus and Cyrus; and mentions of philosophers such as Pythagoras and Zeno.

Book XI: 480-451 BC

This book has no prologue, just a brief statement of its contents.

The main focus of the book are events in mainland Greece, principally the

successors' prosperity and fall (51, 53, 67-68), and the Syracusans' war with Ducetius
(76, 78, 88-92).

Diodorus' source for his account of mainland Greece in this book is generally agreed to be

Ephorus of Cyme, but some scholars argue that he supplemented this using the accounts of Herodotus, Thucydides, and others.[8]

Book XII: 450-416 BC

The book's prologue muses on the mutability of fortune. Diodorus notes that bad events can have positive outcomes, like the prosperity of Greece which (he says) resulted from the Persian Wars.

Diodorus account mostly focuses on mainland Greece, covering the end of the Pentecontaetia (1-7, 22, 27-28), the first half of the

Leontini and Syracuse, culminating in the embassy of Gorgias to Athens (54-56), sets up the account of the Sicilian Expedition
in book XIII.

Diodorus is believed to have continued to use Ephorus, perhaps supplemented with other historians, as his source for Greek events in this book, while the source for the events in western Greece is usually identified as

Timaeus of Tauromenium.[9]

Book XIII: 415-404 BC

Diodorus explains that, given the amount of material to be covered, his prologue must be brief.

This book opens with the account of the

Dionysius the Elder
to the tyranny (43-44, 54–63, 75, 80–96, 108-114).

Ephorus is generally agreed to have continued to be the source of the Greek narrative and Timaeus of the Sicilian narrative. The source of the Sicilian expedition is disputed - both Ephorus and Timaeus have been put forward.[10] Sacks argues that the two speeches at the end of that account are Diodorus' own work.[11]

Book XIV: 404-387 BC

In the prologue, Diodorus identifies reproachful criticism (blasphemia) as the punishment for evil deeds which people take to heart the most and which the powerful are especially subject to. Powerful men, therefore, should avoid evil deeds in order to avoid receiving this reproach from posterity. Diodorus claims that the central subjects of the book are negative examples, who demonstrate the truth of these remarks.

The book is again divided into Greek and Sicilian narratives. The Greek narrative covers the

Ten Thousand (19-31), Agesilaus' invasion of Persian Asia Minor (79-80), the Boeotian War
(81-86, 91–92, 94).

The Sicilian narrative focusses on Dionysios the Elder's establishment of his tyranny in Sicily (7-9, 11–16, 18), his second war with the Carthaginians (41-78, 85–91, 95-96), and his invasion of southern Italy (100-108, 111-112).

Fairly brief notes mention Roman affairs year by year, including the war with

Gallic Sack
(113-117).

Ephorus and Timaeus are assumed to have still been Diodorus' sources.[12] Some details in his account of the Ten Thousand may derive from a lost work of Sophaenetus.[13]

Book XV: 386-361 BC

In the prologue of this book, Diodorus makes several statements that have been considered important for understanding the philosophy behind his entire work. Firstly, he announces the importance of

Spartan empire, which is described in this book, was caused by their cruel treatment of their subjects. Sacks considers this idea about the fall of empires to be a core theme of Diodorus' work, motivated by his own experience as a subject of Rome.[14]

This book covers the height of the Spartan rule in Greece, including the invasion of Persia, the

Theban Hegemony (25-35, 37–40, 62‑69, 75, 82‑88). The main side narratives are Euagoras war with the Persians in Cyprus (2‑4, 8‑9), the wars of Dionysius I against the Illyrians, Etruscans and Carthaginians and his death (13-17, 73-74), Artaxerxes II's failed invasion of Egypt (41-43), the skytalismos in Argos (57-58), the career of Jason of Pherae (57, 60, 80, 95), and the Great Satraps' Revolt
(90-93).

Diodorus' main source is generally believed to have been

Timaeus of Tauromenium for his description of Sicilian affairs in this book or if this too was based on Ephorus.[16]

Book XVI: 360‑336 BC

The Prologue announces the importance of cohesion within narratives - a book or chapter should, if possible, narrate an entire story from start to finish. It then transitions into praise of

rise
are the main subjects of the book.

The principal side narratives are Dion of Syracuse's overthrow of Dionysius II (5-6, 9-15), the Social War (7, 21-22), Artaxerxes III's reconquest of Egypt (40-52), and the expedition of Timoleon (interleaved in 65-90).

The initial sources for the main narrative was probably Ephorus, but his account came to an end in 356 BC, and Diodorus' sources after that point are disputed. Possibilities include Demophilus, Diyllus, Duris of Samos and Theopompus; contradictions in his account suggest that he was following multiple sources simultaneously and did not succeed in combining them perfectly.[17] The Sicilian material probably draws on Timaeus and also cites Athanis [de].[18]

Book XVII: 335‑324 BC

This book covers Alexander the Great from his accession, through his campaigns in Persia, to his death in Babylon. Despite a promise in the brief prologue to discuss other contemporary events, it does not contain any side-narratives, although, unlike other accounts of Alexander, it does mention Macedonian activities in Greece during his expedition. Owing to its length, the book is split into two halves, the first running down to the Battle of Gaugamela (1-63) and the second part continuing until his death (64-118).

Diodorus' sources for the story of Alexander are much debated. Sources of information include Aristobulus of Cassandreia, Cleitarchus, Onesicritus and Nearchus, but it is not clear that he used these directly.[19] Several scholars have argued that the unity of this account implies a single source, perhaps Cleitarchus.[20]

Book XVIII: 323-318 BC

This book covers the years 323 BC-318 BC, describing the disputes which arose between Alexander's generals after his death and the beginning of the

Wars of the Diadochoi. The account is largely based on Hieronymus of Cardia.[21]
There is no discussion of events outside the eastern Mediterranean, although cross-references at other points indicate that Diodorus intended to discuss Sicilian affairs.

Book XIX: 317-311 BC

This book opens with a prologue arguing that democracy is usually overthrown by the most powerful members of society, not the weakest, and advancing Agathocles of Syracuse as a demonstration of this proposition.

The narrative of the book continues the account of the Diadochi, recounting the

Timaeus of Tauromenium, or Duris of Samos
.

Book XX: 310-302 BC

The prologue of this book discusses Greek historians' practice of inventing speeches for their characters to deliver. Diodorus criticises the practice as inappropriate to the genre, but acknowledges that in moderation such speeches can add variety and serve a didactic purpose.

The book is devoted to two parallel narratives, one describing Agathocles' ultimately unsuccessful invasion of Carthage, and the other devoted to the continued wars of the Diadochi, which are dominated by

Demetrius Poliorcetes. The only significant side narrative is the account of Cleonymus of Sparta
's wars in Italy (104-105).

Books XXI–XL

These books do not survive intact, but large sections were preserved by

Hellenistic kingdoms from the Battle of Ipsus
in 301 BC, through the wars between Rome and Carthage, down to either 60 BC or the beginning of Caesar's Gallic War in 59 BC.

For books 21–32, Diodorus drew on the history of

Poseidonius as their source.[22]

Book XXXII is notable for the inclusion of the lives of Diophantus of Abae, Callon of Epidaurus, and others who transitioned between genders. The record of Callon's medical treatment is the first known account of gender-affirming surgery.[23]

Reception

Ancient and medieval

Diodorus is mentioned briefly in Pliny the Elder's Natural History as being singular among the Greek historians for the simple manner in which he named his work.[24]

Modern

Diodorus' liberal use of earlier historians underlies the harsh opinion of the author of the

1911 Encyclopædia Britannica
article on Bibliotheca historica:

The faults of Diodorus arise partly from the nature of the undertaking, and the awkward form of annals into which he has thrown the historical portion of his narrative. He shows none of the critical faculties of the historian, merely setting down a number of unconnected details. His narrative contains frequent repetitions and contradictions, is without colouring, and monotonous; and his simple diction, which stands intermediate between pure Attic and the colloquial Greek of his time, enables us to detect in the narrative the undigested fragments of the materials which he employed.

As damaging as this sounds, other more contemporary classical scholars are likely to go even further. Diodorus has become infamous particularly for adapting his tales ad maiorem Graecorum gloriam ("to the greater glory of the Greeks"), leading one prominent author to refer to him as one of the "two most accomplished liars of antiquity"[25][26] (the other being Ctesias).

Far more sympathetic is the estimate of C.H. Oldfather, who wrote in the introduction to his translation of Diodorus:

While characteristics such as these exclude Diodorus from a place among the abler historians of the ancient world, there is every reason to believe that he used the best sources and that he reproduced them faithfully. His First Book, which deals almost exclusively with Egypt, is the fullest literary account of the history and customs of that country after Herodotus. Books II-V cover a wide range, and because of their inclusion of much mythological material are of much less value. In the period from 480 to 301 BC, which he treats in annalistic fashion and in which his main source was the Universal History of Ephorus, his importance varies according to whether he is the sole continuous source, or again as he is paralleled by superior writers. To the fifty years from 480 to 430 BC Thucydides devotes only a little more than thirty chapters; Diodorus covers it more fully (11.37-12.38) and his is the only consecutive literary account for the chronology of the period. ... For the years 362-302 BC Diodorus is again the only consecutive literary account, and ... Diodorus offers the only chronological survey of the period of Philip, and supplements the writers mentioned and contemporary sources in many matters. For the period of the Successors to Alexander, 323-302 BC (Books XVIII-XX), he is the chief literary authority and his history of this period assumes, therefore, an importance which it does not possess for the other years.

Editorial history

The earliest extant manuscript of Bibliotheca historica is from about 10th century.[27] The editio princeps of Diodorus was a Latin translation of the first five books by Poggio Bracciolini at Bologna in 1472. The first printing of the Greek original (at Basel in 1535) contained only books 16–20, and was the work of Vincentius Opsopoeus. It was not until 1559 that all of the surviving books, and surviving fragments of books 21 to the end were published by Stephanus at Geneva.

Editions and translations

Footnotes

  1. ^ Sacks 1990, pp. 9ff.
  2. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheke 10.3.1
  3. ^ Sacks 1990, p. 169
  4. ^ Oldfather 1933, p. xxvi
  5. ^ Oldfather 1933, p. xxvii
  6. ^ Sacks 1990, p. 67
  7. ^ The Library of History of Diodorus Siculus, Vol II, Book III, Chapter 13-14. Loeb Classical Library (1935)
  8. ^ Hau 2009, p. 174 n.10
  9. ^ Hau 2009, p. 174 n.10
  10. ^ Hau 2009
  11. ^ Sacks 1990, pp. 101–108
  12. ^ Hau 2009
  13. doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e1117020
    .
  14. ^ Sacks 1990
  15. ^ Hornblower 1990, pp. 363–365
  16. ^ Hau 2009, p. 175 n.12
  17. ^ Hau 2009, p. 175
  18. ^ Welles 1963, pp. 3–6
  19. ^ Welles 1963, pp. 8–10
  20. ^ Hau 2009, pp. 175, 178
  21. ^ Hau 2009, p. 175
  22. ^ Hau 2009, p. 176
  23. PMID 26188239
    .
  24. ^ Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Preface 25
  25. ^ Lloyd, A. B. Herodotus Book II Volume 1. Leiden. pp. 47, note 187.
  26. JSTOR 25011095
    .
  27. ^ "Diodorus Siculus: the Manuscripts of the "Bibliotheca Historica"". tertullian.org. Retrieved 23 October 2015.

References

Further reading

External links

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