Diodorus Siculus

• Diodorus Siculus (c.90-c.30 BCE) was a Greek Historian from Sicily, writing between 60-30 BCE.
• He described the Tin Islands of Britain, Naptha as a spring of asphalt in Mesopotamia and recorded the first eruption of Mount Etna as occurring in 425 BCE.

Work

• ‘Bibliotheca historica’ – ‘Historical Library’: A universal history in 40 books of which Books 6-10 and 21-40 are missing.
  1. Section One: Books I-VI:
     • Book I: Ancient Egypt
     • Book II: Mesopotamia, India, Scythia and Arabia
     • Book III: North Africa
     • Book IV-VI: Greece and Europe
  2. Section Two: Books VII-XVII
     • History of the World from the Trojan War to Alexander the Great
  3. Section Three: Books XVIII-XL
     • History of Alexander’s successors until 60 BCE.