Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman RepublicOxford University Press, 2017 - 284 pages In Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman Republic, Charles E. Muntz offers a fresh look at one of the most neglected historians of the ancient world, and recovers Diodorus's originality and importance as a witness to a profoundly tumultuous period in antiquity. Muntz analyzes the first three books of Diodorus's Bibliotheke historike, some of the most varied and eclectic material in his work, in which Diodorus reveals through the history, myths, and customs of the "barbarians" the secrets of successful states and rulers, and contributes to the debates surrounding the transition from Republic to Empire. Muntz establishes just how linked the "barbarians" of the Bibliotheke are to the actors of the crumbling Republic, and demonstrates that through the medium of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Indians, and others Diodorus engages with the major issues and intellectual disputes of his time, including the origins of civilization, the propriety of ruler-cult, the benefits of monarchy, and the relationship between myth and history. Diodorus has many similarities with other authors writing on these topics, including Cicero, Lucretius, Varro, Sallust, and Livy but, as Muntz argues, engaging with such controversial issues, even indirectly, could be especially dangerous for a Greek provincial such as Diodorus. Indeed, for these reasons he may never have completed or fully published the Bibliotheke in his lifetime. Through his careful and precise investigations, Muntz demonstrates Diodorus's historical context at its full size and scope. |
Table des matières
1 Diodorus Quellenforschung and Beyond | 1 |
2 Organizing the World | 27 |
3 The Origins of Civilization | 57 |
4 Mythical History | 89 |
5 The Deified Culture Bringers | 133 |
6 Kings Kingship and Rome | 191 |
7 The Roman Civil Wars and the Bibliotheke | 215 |
249 | |
Index Locorum | 269 |
281 | |
Autres éditions - Tout afficher
Expressions et termes fréquents
according achievements actually Alexander ancient animals Antony apparently argued Assyrians authors become beginning believed Bibliotheke Book Caesar century chapter Cicero civilization clear Cole comes cover culture bringers deal debate deified describes detailed dIodoRus sIculus Diodorus’s Dionysus discussion divine earlier early Egypt Egyptian elements emphasizes empire entire Ephorus especially established evidence example explains fear FGrH figures final fragments further given gives gods Greek Hellenistic Heracles historian honors important intellectual Italy king Kulturgeschichte late later laws least living major mankind material mention myth mythical mythology narrative nature notes Organizing original Osiris passage perhaps period Persians present problems provides received references remarks Republic Roman Rome rule ruler cult Sacks seems seen similar suggests Sulimani things tion Töv understanding universal worship writing δὲ καὶ τὴν τῆς τῶν