# Diodorus Siculus

> 1st-century BC Greek historian

**Wikidata**: [Q171241](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q171241)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diodorus_Siculus)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/diodorus-siculus

## Summary

Diodorus Siculus was a 1st-century BC Greek historian from Sicily who authored the *Bibliotheca historica* (Historical Library), a comprehensive world history spanning from the mythical origins of humanity to his own era. His work stands as one of the most important surviving sources for ancient history, preserving accounts of civilizations, events, and cultures that would otherwise be lost. As both a historian and geographer, Diodorus traveled extensively to gather material for his monumental forty-book chronicle, which remains a critical resource for modern scholars studying the ancient Mediterranean world.

## Biography

- **Born**: 90 BC (in Agira, Sicily)
- **Nationality**: Greek (of Sicily)
- **Education**: Extensive travels throughout the Mediterranean for research purposes; likely received traditional Greek rhetorical and literary education
- **Known for**: Authoring the *Bibliotheca historica*, a 40-book universal history of the ancient world
- **Employer(s)**: Not explicitly documented in source material; worked as an independent scholar and historian
- **Field(s)**: History, Geography, Mythography

## Contributions

Diodorus Siculus's primary contribution is the *Bibliotheca historica* (Historical Library), a monumental work of universal history composed of 40 books. This comprehensive chronicle covered the period from the mythical creation of the world to his own lifetime, encompassing the histories of Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The work is divided into three main sections: Books 1-6 cover the mythical and prehistoric periods and non-Greek peoples (Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Indians); Books 7-17 cover Greek history from the Trojan War to Alexander the Great; and Books 18-40 cover the Hellenistic period and Roman history up to Caesar's Gallic Wars. Diodorus traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean, visiting Egypt, Persia, and various parts of Greece to gather source material directly. His methodology involved synthesizing earlier historical works, many of which survive only in his quotations, making his work an invaluable repository of lost ancient histories.

## FAQs

**What is Diodorus Siculus best known for?**
Diodorus Siculus is best known for authoring the *Bibliotheca historica* (Historical Library), a 40-book universal history of the ancient world written in Greek during the 1st century BC.

**Where was Diodorus Siculus born?**
Diodorus Siculus was born in Agira (also spelled Agyrium), an ancient city in Sicily, which explains the epithet "Siculus" meaning "of Sicily."

**What time period did Diodorus Siculus live in?**
Diodorus Siculus lived during the 1st century BC, born around 90 BC and dying around 20 BC.

**What languages did Diodorus Siculus write in?**
Diodorus Siculus wrote his *Bibliotheca historica* in Greek, the common scholarly language of the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

**What makes Diodorus Siculus's history unique?**
His work is unique in that it provides one of the most comprehensive surviving accounts of ancient Mediterranean history, preserving information from earlier historians whose works have been lost, including extensive coverage of non-Greek civilizations like Egypt and Persia.

## Why They Matter

Diodorus Siculus matters because his *Bibliotheca historica* serves as a vital primary source for ancient history that would otherwise be lost to us. His work preserves fragments and summaries of numerous ancient historians and chroniclers, making it an indispensable window into the historical scholarship of the Hellenistic period. The *Bibliotheca* is particularly valuable for its coverage of Egyptian history, the Assyrian and Persian empires, and the Hellenistic kingdoms that emerged after Alexander the Great. Without Diodorus's compilation, much of what we know about these civilizations would be severely limited. His geographical and ethnographical digressions also provide crucial information about ancient cultures, customs, and practices. The work influenced later Roman and Byzantine historians and remains essential for modern scholars studying the ancient world, with portions surviving in Greek, Latin, and later translations.

## Notable For

- Authored one of the most comprehensive surviving universal histories from antiquity
- The *Bibliotheca historica* comprises 40 books covering world history from creation to Caesar's Gallic Wars
- Preserved fragments from over 100 earlier historians whose works are now lost
- Provided extensive coverage of Egyptian, Assyrian, Persian, and Hellenistic history
- His work is one of the primary sources for the history of ancient Sicily
- Traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean to research his historical accounts
- His geographical writings influenced later classical geographers
- The *Bibliotheca* is one of the few complete ancient histories to survive to the modern era

## Body

### Early Life and Origins

Diodorus Siculus was born around 90 BC in Agira (modern-day Agira in Sicily), a city that had been under Roman control since the First Punic War. The epithet "Siculus" in his name indicates his Sicilian origin, distinguishing him from other historians of the period. As a Greek-speaking inhabitant of Sicily, he belonged to the cultural world of Hellenism that had spread throughout the Mediterranean following Alexander the Great's conquests. His upbringing in Sicily, an island that had long served as a crossroads between Greek, Carthaginian, and Roman cultures, likely contributed to his broad geographical and cultural perspective that characterizes his historical work.

### Education and Intellectual Formation

While specific details about Diodorus's formal education are not preserved in the source material, his scholarly output demonstrates a thorough grounding in Greek rhetorical and historical traditions. The *Bibliotheca historica* reveals extensive knowledge of earlier Greek historians including Herodotus, Thucydides, and Ephorus of Cyme, as well as Hellenistic scholars. His stated methodology in the work's preface indicates he aimed to create a universal history that would be useful to both Greeks and Romans, suggesting an education that valued both cultures. The extensive travels he undertook for research purposes—visiting Egypt, Persia, and various parts of the Greek world—were likely undertaken as part of his scholarly formation and the composition of his historical project.

### The Bibliotheca Historica

The *Bibliotheca historica* (Historical Library) represents Diodorus's magnum opus and one of the most ambitious historical projects of antiquity. The work originally consisted of 40 books, of which Books 1-5 and 11-20 survive nearly complete, while substantial fragments of the remaining books are preserved in later quotations and excerpts. The structure of the work reflects Diodorus's intention to provide a comprehensive universal history: the first six books cover the mythological origins of humanity and the histories of non-Greek peoples (Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Scythians, and Indians); Books 7-17 focus on Greek history from the Trojan War to Alexander the Great; and Books 18-40 cover the Hellenistic period and Roman history up to approximately 60 BC.

Diodorus's approach to history combined chronological narrative with geographical and ethnographical digressions, providing readers with context about the peoples and lands being discussed. His stated purpose was to preserve the memory of great deeds and to provide moral examples through historical narrative, following the tradition of Greek historiography established by Herodotus and Thucydides. The work demonstrates careful attention to source criticism, with Diodorus often noting disagreements among earlier historians and attempting to reconcile conflicting accounts.

### Historical Methodology and Sources

Diodorus employed a distinctive methodology in compiling his history, drawing upon a vast array of earlier sources. He explicitly names over 100 earlier historians whose works he consulted, though many of these authors are known only through Diodorus's quotations. His sources included both earlier universal histories, such as the works of Ephorus of Cyme and Posidonius of Apamea, as well as specialized histories focusing on particular regions, periods, or topics. For Egyptian history, he drew upon Manetho and other Egyptian historians; for Persian history, he used Ctesias of Cnidus; and for Greek history, he consulted numerous local historians and chroniclers.

The extent of Diodorus's reliance on earlier sources has been debated by modern scholars, with some emphasizing his role as a compiler and others highlighting his own contributions in selection, arrangement, and occasional critical commentary. Regardless of interpretation, his work preserves invaluable information from sources that have otherwise been lost, making it essential for reconstructing ancient historiography.

### Geographic and Ethnographic Contributions

Beyond his historical narrative, Diodorus contributed significant geographical and ethnographical information to ancient scholarship. His descriptions of distant lands and peoples reflect both his own travels and his compilation of earlier geographical knowledge. The *Bibliotheca* includes detailed accounts of Egyptian civilization, Indian culture, and the peoples of the Black Sea region, among others. These passages provide modern scholars with important evidence for ancient geographical knowledge and cultural perceptions of non-Greek peoples.

### Later Reception and Legacy

The *Bibliotheca historica* was widely read in antiquity and continued to be influential throughout the medieval and early modern periods. Byzantine scholars preserved and copied the work, and it was translated into Latin and other languages. The complete survival of Books 1-5 and 11-20, combined with extensive fragments of the remaining books, makes the *Bibliotheca* one of the most complete surviving ancient historical works. Modern scholars continue to rely on Diodorus as a primary source for ancient history, particularly for periods and regions where other evidence is scarce. His work remains essential for the study of Egyptian history, the Hellenistic period, and the transmission of earlier Greek historical traditions.

## References

1. Czech National Authority Database
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. CiNii Research
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. [Source](http://digitale.beic.it/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?fn=search&vid=BEIC&vl%283134987UI0%29=creator&vl%28freeText0%29=Diodorus%20Siculus)
6. CONOR.SI
7. CERL Thesaurus
8. Shakeosphere
9. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
10. Enciclopedia Treccani
11. LIBRIS. 2012
12. Dizionario di Storia
13. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands
14. HMML Authority File
15. Clavis Historicorum Antiquitatis Posterioris
16. Digital Scriptorium Catalog