Diodorus Siculus, Egypt, and
Rome
by Charles E. Muntz
Abstract
This dissertation is a detailed
study of the first book of the Bibliotheke of Diodorus
Siculus, a Greek historian from the mid-first century BCE.
Traditionally, scholars have studied Diodorus with the
purpose of identifying and reconstructing the now-lost
histories that he used as sources. This source-study, or
Quellenforschung, ignores and even denigrates Diodorus’ own
contributions to his history. In contrast, a fresh
examination of Diodorus’ first book shows that he was an
innovative historian who desired to find a place in the
intellectual world of Rome with his work.
Chapter 1 examines the scholarship of Quellenforschung and
demonstrates that for Book 1, it is of very little value
for Diodorus or his putative sources. More recent
approaches to Diodorus and other historians who are largely
dependent on earlier material or who were provincial
intellectuals during the Roman civil wars are more valuable
aids to interpreting the Bibliotheke.
Chapter 2 addresses Diodorus’ overall contribution to Greek
historiography, with a particular emphasis on Book 1. The
chapter reveals Diodorus’ important innovation in his
definition of universal history to be universal on both
temporal and spatial planes; and in his argument for myth
as a legitimate matter for a history.
Chapter 3 examines Diodorus’ account in Book 1 of the
origins of civilization and the progress of mankind, a
Kulturgeschichte. Diodorus sets up two paths by which
mankind can advance, under the compulsion of χρεία (1.8),
and under a culture-bringer. (1.13-22) The chapter argues
that Diodorus’ reworking of source material can be clearly
seen and that this process is consistent with his thinking
elsewhere in both Book 1 and in the rest of the
Bibliotheke.
Chapter 4 investigates Diodorus’ narrative of Egyptian
history (1.44-68). In his presentation of certain Egyptian
kings Diodorus highlights what he considers to be major
problems in the Romans’ rule of the Mediterranean. These
include Rome’s failure to rule the provinces beneficently,
and a decline in Roman morality. But Diodorus also evinces
an undercurrent of support for Julius Caesar. One
significant passage appears to reference Caesar’s new
calendar, and thus can be dated to after 47.
Chapter 5 scrutinizes Diodorus’ lengthy section on Egyptian
laws and customs (1.69-95). Diodorus continues to use Egypt
as a means of highlighting weaknesses in first-century
Rome, expanding on those he highlighted in the historical
section to include the Roman legal system. Diodorus uses
the example of the extremely long-lasting Egyptian nation
to demonstrate the superiority of monarchy as a system of
government.
Chapter 6, the conclusion, reviews the circumstances
surrounding the publication of the Bibliotheke. In light of
the other findings, we argue that Diodorus was on the verge
of publishing the first three books when Caesar was
assassinated, so the historian postponed publication. The
rise of Octavian, and his propaganda war with Marc Antony,
caused Diodorus to further delay publication, not just of
the first three books but of the whole Bibliotheke, and the
historian probably died with his history unpublished.
This dissertation contributes to an understanding of
Diodorus, one of the first and most determined universal
historians, and the opportunities available to provincial
intellectuals in the Roman world.