The Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists: The Greek tradition and its many heirs

(Ron) #1

Long and Sedley (1987) 1.44, 51–52, 209–210, 230–236; OCD3 472, D.N. Sedley; ECP 185 – 187,
M. White.
Richard Bett


Diodo ̄ros of Prie ̄ne ̄ (325 – 90 BCE)


Wrote an agricultural work, possibly treating cereals, livestock, poultry, viticulture, and
arboriculture (cf. P, 1.ind.8, 10, 14–15, 17–18), excerpted by C D
(V, RR 1.1.9–10, cf. C, 1.1.9).


RE 5.1 (1903) 708 (#49), M. Wellmann.
Philip Thibodeau


Diodo ̄ros of Samos (ca 100 BCE – 50 CE?)


Wrote a geographical work giving astronomical data about the sea-voyage to India, accord-
ing to M  T in P, Geog. 1.7.


RE 5.1 (1903) 704–705 (#39), H. Berger.
PTK


Diodo ̄ros of Sicily (ca 80 – ca 20 BCE)


Greek historian from Agurion, Sicily, composed a universal history entitled Bibliothe ̄ke ̄ some
time in the late 40s. He said that he worked on the project for 30 years, for this purpose
visiting extensive regions of Asia and Europe. He met certain Romans in Sicily, learned
Latin, and thus could study Roman historical records (1.4.1–4). The first six books of
Diodo ̄ros’ history, treating the time before the Trojan War, comprise three books on the
barbarians and three on the Greeks; the next 11 books explicate events from the Trojan War
to the death of Alexander; the last 23 books survey events up to the Gallic War and C-
’s arrival in the British Isles (1.4.6–7). Books 1–5 and 11–20 survived intact, but the rest
are fragmentary. According to Greek historiographical tradition, Diodo ̄ros sets his universal
history against a geographical and ethnographical background, describing regions and their
inhabitants, particularly Greece, Sicily, Rome and the surrounding areas. Some modern
scholars seem to have misjudged him as a mere compiler, for he relies heavily on whole parts
of earlier works, including H  A on Egypt, M on India, and
A on the Arabian Gulf. However, the vastness of his project with its clear
editorial plan resulted in an important even if partially preserved work recording significant
and unusual historical and geographical information. Stylistically, Diodo ̄ros tended towards
the grandiose and the fantastic when referring to fauna, flora, and other natural phenomena.


K.S. Sacks, Diodorus Siculus and the First Century (1990); D. Ambaglio, La Biblioteca Storica di Diodoro Siculo:
Problemi e Metodo (1995), esp. 59–82; P.J. Stylianou, A Historical Commentary on Diodorus Siculus Book 15
(1998).
Daniela Dueck


Diodo ̄ros of Tarsos (365 – 393 CE)


Monk, born in Antioch to a noble family, lived under Julian and Valens, studied philosophy
at Athens, banished to Armenia (372), was appointed bishop of Tarsos and Kilikia (378),
and taught I K among others. An ally of B  C,


DIODO ̄ROS OF TARSOS
Free download pdf