Customer Reviews

Diodorus Siculus: Library of History, Volume I, Books 1-2.34 (Loeb Classical Library No. 279)

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I have purchased a very large number of the Loeb Clasical Library series, usually as materials for research. Very rarely do I read an ancient author from cover to cover for enjoyment. This book have proven to be every bit as gripping as a modern novel.

I originally bought the book solely for the purpose of having a sample of Hellenistic Greek that I could compare with the grammar of the New Testament. I really had not planned to even occasionally use the volume as a reference. Upon receiving the book, though, I opened it up and read a little of the English just to get a sense of the work in general. I was hooked from the very first pages.

As a historian, Diodorus has often been criticized for employment of unreliable sources, lack of discrimination, and a poor organization of material. Part of the general scholarly distaste for Diodorus results one one hand from his free intermingling of what is clearly mythology with history. On the other hand, huge sections of his history are organized year by year, so that he describes what happens in a given year in every empire that he covers. The year-by-year organization does not begin until about book five, however. The initial books of his history cover the origins and characteristics of various major races and nations of his world, and as mentioned above, incorporate great elements of fancy. It is these elements that have made his series so interesting to read, however.

It is obvious that Bulfinch's Mythology and other standard works on Greek mythology draw much material from Diodorus Siculous, and reading it definitely makes one feel like he is walking along the paths of the scholars.

Although Diodorus was not a Historian as we understand it nowadays, his writings are extremely useful to the knowledge of the History of Asia Minor, Middle East, Greece and India. This book offers a new translation in comprehensible English with commentaries and references that are useful to the scholar in his/her research. In addition, it brings us back to Ancient Times and shows us that, after all, they are not so ancient, and there is nothing new under the sun.

One of the most interesting classical texts. If you are interested in Greek myth, legend, history and culture, you must read this series !

Alexander the Great, was born on or around July 20, 356 B.C.E., and is my favorite personality to read about in history. To me he is the whole package general, statesman, conqueror, and philosopher. The smartest man who ever lived, Aristotle, tutored him. Alexander conquered more of the known world than any other figure in history, accomplishing all this before he dies at the ripe old age of 33. Some people called him conqueror and violent overlord. Some other called him civilizer and even God! All of them yet, called him "The Great". He was the first man in modern history that took this name, "The Great"! Even as a young boy, he shows great promise.

Diodorus a Greek historian who lived from 80-20 BCE wrote 40 books of world history. He is an uncritical compiler who used good sources and produced them faithfully. His work is one of the oldest works available and is based on eyewitness accounts. He does a better job than most in explaining the battle scenes, and seems to be more balanced in his admiration and criticism of Alexander then any of the other early biographers. I love his Bucephalus Story, and I recount it here so you get a flavor of the promise this young Alexander shows.

The legend begins with Philoneicus, a Thessalian, bringing a wild horse to Philip for him to buy. None of the hands was able to handle it, and Philip grew upset at Philoneicus for bringing such an unstable horse to him. Alexander, however, publicly defied his father and claimed that he could handle the horse. The bet between Philip and Alexander was that if Alexander could ride the horse, Philip would buy it, if not, Alexander would have to pay the price of the horse, which was 13 talents, an enormous sum for a boy of Alexander's age to have.

Alexander apparently noticed that the horse had been shying away from its own shadow, and so he led it gently into the sun, so that its shadow was behind it, all the while stroking it gently and whispering into its ear, (Alexander seems to be the original horse whisperer). Eventually the horse let Alexander mount him, and Alexander was able to show his equestrian skill to his father and all who were watching. The incident so impressed Alexander's father, King Philip that he told the boy "Look thee out a kingdom equal to and worthy of you, for Macedonia is too little for thee". He named the horse Bucephalus, which means Ox head, and rode it across Asia, founding a city in its honor in India after its death. This story gives you an inkling about the man.

This book is a necessary read for students of Alexander, I also recommend Plutarch's and Arrian's work, and from contemporary writers, J. F. C. Fuller and Tarn. Most of Alexander's greatest military traits are in the area of military logistics and to understand his genius in this area I highly recommend reading, "Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army," by Donald W. Engels.

As a retired U. S. Army Major, I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in ancient warfare, and history.