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Classics: Ancient History - Source Reliability

DIODORUS SICULUS

WHO WAS HE?

o Roman from Sicily in 1st century BC
o Writing from 60-30 BC

CONTEXT OF WRITINGS?

o 40 books of history in 3 sections
 - 1) Mythic history until Trojan war
 - 2) Trojan war until Alexander the Great
 - 3) Alexander the Great until 60 BC
o Theme: all of the Mediterranean cities coming under Roman rule

PURPOSES OF WRITINGS?

o Year-by-Year account of Greek and Roman history

WHAT WAS HIS ORIGINAL AUDIENCE?

o Romans circa 30 BC

RELIABLE?

o Conveys the virtues as well as the vices of his sources
o Unequivocal evidence that the Spartan gerousia deliberated over policy and wasn't just a judical body

UNRELIABLE?

o Rarely quotes sources
o Speeches are lacking
o Mistakes in chronology
o Never critical
o He records some divine intervention

Specified Sources:
o Diodorus, 11.50

Other Useful Sources:
~ to be added in later ~

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