Diodorus Siculus and the world of the late Roman republic

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. Nota del editor: "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' originality and importance as a witness to one of the most tumultuous periods in antiquity. Muntz analyzes the first three books of Diodorus, which cover "barbarian" ethnography, myth, and early history and contain the most varied and eclectic material in his work. He shows how Diodorus defines the physical, political, and cultural boundaries of the late Roman Republic in these books and uses them to map out future possibilities for the Romans. 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 crumbling Republic and demonstrates that through the medium of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Indians, and others Diodorus engages with 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 of 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 dangerous for a Greek provincial such as Diodorus, and he may never have completed or fully published the Bibliotheke in his lifetime." 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' originality and importance as a witness to one of the most tumultuous periods in antiquity. Muntz analyzes the first three books of Diodorus, which cover "barbarian" ethnography, myth, and early history and contain the most varied and eclectic material in his work. He shows how Diodorus defines the physical, political, and cultural boundaries of the late Roman Republic in these books and uses them to map out future possibilities for the Romans. 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.0Muntz establishes just how linked the "barbarians" of the Bibliotheke are to the crumbling Republic and demonstrates that through the medium of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Indians, and others Diodorus engages with 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 of 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 dangerous for a Greek provincial such as Diodorus, and he may never have completed or fully published the Bibliotheke in his lifetime 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 one of the most tumultuous periods in antiquity. Muntz analyzes the first three books of Diodorus, which cover "barbarian" ethnography, myth, and early history and contain the most varied and eclectic material in his work. He shows how Diodorus defines the physical, political, and cultural boundaries of the late Roman Republic and uses them to map out future possibilities for the Romans. Muntz establishes just how linked the "barbarians" of the Bibliotheke are to the crumbling Republic and demonstrates that through the medium of the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Indians, and others Diodorus engages with 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 of myth and history. -- Adapted from the dust jacket. Provided by the publisher Cover 1 Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman Republic 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Abbreviations 12 1. Diodorus, Quellenforschung, and Beyond 16 2. Organizing the World 42 3. The Origins of Civilization 72 4. Mythical History 104 5. The Deified Culture Bringers 148 6. Kings, Kingship, and Rome 206 7. The Roman Civil Wars and the Bibliotheke 230 Bibliography 264 Index Locorum 284 General Index 296