The History of the Diadochi in book XIX of Diodoros Bibliotheke: A Historical and Historiographical Commentary

by: Meeus, A.

About this book
Diodoros of Sicily?s book XIX is the main source for the history of the Diadochoi, Alexander the Great?s Successors, from 317 to 311 BCE. With the first full-scale commentary on this text in any language Alexander Meeus offers a detailed and reliable guide to the complicated historical narrative and the fascinating ethnographic information transmitted by Diodoros, which includes the earliest accounts of Indian widow burning and Nabataean culture.

Studying both history and historiography, this volume elucidates a crucial stage in the creation of the Hellenistic world in Greece and the Near East as well as the confusing source tradition.

Diodoros, a long neglected author indispensable for much of our knowledge of Antiquity, is currently enjoying growing scholarly interest. An ample introduction discusses his historical methods and sheds light on his language and style and on the manuscript transmission of books XVII-XX. By negotiating between diametrically opposed scholarly opinions a new understanding of Diodoros? place in the ancient historiographical tradition is offered.

The volume is of interest to scholars of ancient historiography, Hellenistic history, Hellenistic prose and the textual transmission of the Bibliotheke.

Author information
Alexander Meeus, University of Mannheim, Germany.

Frontmatter
Preface
Contents
Introduction
PART I: DIODOROS AND HIS WORK
1 Diodoros of Agyrion
2 The Bibliotheke
3 The Problem of the Sources
4 The Chronology of the Years 317–311
PART II: COMMENTARY
§ 2.1 Chronographic Formula for the Year 317/6
§ 11 Olympias? Return, the Deaths of Arrhidaios and Eurydike, and Olympias? Revenge on the Antipatrids for the Death of Alexander
§ 12–13 Eumenes in Babylonia and the Crossing of the Tigris
§ 14 Eumenes? Alliance with the Governors and Generals from the Upper Satrapies
§ 15 The Power Struggle of the Commanders of the Satrapal Alliance and the Alexander Tent
§ 16 The End of the Perdikkan Captives
§ 17–19 Antigonos? Crossing into the Upper Satrapies and the First Skirmishing
§ 20 Rest, Recovery and Replenishment in Media
§ 21–24 The Struggle for Power in the Satrapal Coalition Surfaces Again
§ 25–26 The Prelude to the Battle of Paraitakene
§ 27–31 The Battle of Paraitakene
§ 32 The Aftermath of the Battle
§ 33–34 Keteus? Widows Compete to Join Their Husband in Death
§ 35–36 Kassandros? Return to Macedonia and the Struggle against Polyperchon and Olympias
§ 37–39 The Build Up to the Battle of Gabiene
§ 40–43 The Battle of Gabiene
§ 44 The Aftermath of the Battle
§ 45 The Flood of Rhodes
§ 46–48 The Establishment of Antigonos? Supremacy in Asia
§ 49–51 The Defeat and Death of Olympias
§ 52–54 The Establishment of Kassandros? Power in Europe
§ 55–57 Seleukos? Flight and the Coalition against Antigonos
§ 58–60 Antigonos? Preparations for the War and the Siege of Tyre
§ 61 Antigonos? Propagandistic Proclamation at Tyre
§ 62 The Reaction of Ptolemaios
§ 63–64 The First Phase of the War in Europe and the Aegean
§ 66–69 The Second Year of the War
§ 73–75 The Third Year of the War
§ 77–78 Polemaios in Greece
§ 79 Ptolemaios? Interventions in Kyrene and Cyprus, and the Raids on the Syrian and Kilikian Coasts
§ 80–84 The Battle of Gaza
§ 85–86 The Aftermath of the Battle
§ 87 Telesphoros? Revolt in the Peloponnese
§ 88–89 Kassandros? Operations in Epeiros and Illyria
§ 90–92 Seleukos? Return to Babylon
§ 93 Ptolemaios? Loss of Syria
§ 94–100.2 The Antigonid Campaigns against the Nabataians
§ 100.3–7 Demetrios? Expedition in Babylonia
§ 105.1–4 The Peace of the Dynasts and the Deaths of Alexander IV and Rhoxane
Abbreviations
Bibliography
Appendix: Textual Variants
Index Graecitatis
Requires Authentication

The History of the Diadochi in book XIX of Diodoros Bibliotheke: A Historical and Historiographical Commentary

by: Meeus, A.

• ISBN-13: 9783110741957 / 978-3-11-074195-7
• ISBN-03: 3110741954 / 3-11-074195-4
• Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 2022