The History of the Diadochoi in Book XIX of Diodoros' ›Bibliotheke‹: A Historical and Historiographical Commentary

638 Pages·2022·4.163 MB·English

by  Alexander Meeus

Alexander Meeus
The History of the Diadochoi in Book XIX of Diodoros’ Bibliotheke
Untersuchungen zur antiken
Literatur und Geschichte
Herausgegeben von
Marcus Deufert, Heinz-Günther Nesselrath
und Peter Scholz
Band 149
Alexander Meeus
The History of
the Diadochoi in
Book XIX of Diodoros’
Bibliotheke
A Historical and Historiographical Commentary
Gedruckt mit freundlicher Unterstützung des Vereins zur Förderung des Historischen Instituts
und des Antikensaals an der Universität Mannheim e.V.
ISBN 978-3-11-074195-7
e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-074382-1
e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-074386-9
ISSN 1862-1112
Library of Congress Control Number: 2021948836
Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie;
detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.dnb.de abrufbar.
© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Druck und Bindung: CPI books GmbH, Leck
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optimo magistro
Hans Hauben

Preface
This book is a revised and expanded version of the doctoral dissertation I de-
fendedattheUniversityofLeuvenin2009.Ioweanenormousdebtofgratitude
tomysupervisor, Hans Hauben, foreverythinghe has taught me about ancient
history, research methods, and writing clearly and concisely, as well as for his
enormousintellectualhonesty.Hisadviceandmeticulouscriticismhavebeenin-
dispensable, and his critical readingof the manuscript has ledto countless im-
provements.To the other members of the dissertation committee, Johannes En-
gels, Guido Schepens, Stefan Schorn, and Peter Van Nuffelen, I am also very
grateful for their invaluable comments which have been extremely helpful in
turning the thesis into a book.
ForreadingpartsofthemanuscriptatvariousstagesmythanksgotoChris-
tophBegass,AudeCohen-Skalli,TomDeneire,BramFauconnier,LisaIreneHau,
Hubert Meeus, Sofie Remijsen, Brian Sheridan, Jan Tavernier, Dorothy Thomp-
son, and Shane Wallace.Whenever I needed advice on philological matters, I
could call on Willy Clarysse,Tom Deneire, Ilse De Vos, Erika Gielen, and espe-
ciallyAudeCohen-Skalli,whoalwaysansweredmyquestionsabouttextualcriti-
cismbothveryswiftlyandverythoroughly.JanBollanséehasbeenequallygen-
erouswith histimeandhisexpertiseinthefieldofancienthistoriography,and
sohaveTomBoiyandJanTavernierforthemanyissuesofAncientNearEastern
history that confront the commentatorof Diodoros’ XIXth book. Bart Van Beek,
inturn,knewhowtosolveanycomputerproblem.Fromthebibliographyitwill
beclearhowalargeadebtIowetothepublishedworkofseveralexpertsinHel-
lenistic history and historiography.The scholars from whose knowledge I have
benefitted in conversations over the years are too numerous to mention, but
those who have been particularly supportive of me deserve a special mention:
Edward Anson, Elizabeth Carney, Hans-Joachim Gehrke, Waldemar Heckel,
JohnMarincola,JohnMoles,JosephRoisman,RobinWaterfield,andPatWheat-
ley.
IwouldliketoextendmygratitudetotheeditorsofUntersuchungenzuran-
tiken Literatur und Geschichte, Marcus Deufert, Heinz-Günther Nesselrath and
Peter Scholz, not only for including the book in their series but also for their
thoroughreadingofthemanuscriptandtheirmanyhelpfulsuggestionsandcor-
rections.To WillardPaul Meaker and Michael Park I am indebtedforcorrecting
my English, and to Robin Mössinger and Leon Große-Stoltenberg for their help
with the bibliography. Annika Müller assisted valuably with the checking of
the proofs. For the excellent collaboration in the book’s production process I
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110743821-001
VIII Preface
wouldliketothankBenediktKrügeratWalterDeGruyterandKatharinaEhlgen
at Datagroup Deutschland.
Mydoctoralresearchfrom2005to2009wasgenerouslyfundedbytheUni-
versity of Leuven’s Research Council, and a Leverhulme Visiting Fellowship at
theUniversityofWalesTrinitySaintDavidinLampeterwasverybeneficialinal-
lowingmetoworkonrevisingandexpandingthethesisin2010/11.EversinceI
arrived at the University of Mannheim in September 2015, Christian Mann has
been extremely supportive and provided the ideal work environment in which
Icouldfinishthebookmanuscript.IwouldalsoliketothanktheVereinzurFör-
derungdesHistorischenInstitutsunddesAntikensaalsanderUniversitätMann-
heim e.V. for kindly subsidising part of the publication costs.
Iamverygratefultomyparents,HubertMeeusandCarlaVanvinckenroy,for
theirconstantencouragementandsupportinacademicandnon-academicmat-
ters:theyhave literallybeen there whenever I needed it. Last but not least,the
limitedbelief that tendstobe awardedto prefatory topoiandthe magnitude of
mydebttohermakeitimpossibleadequatelytoexpressmygratitudetomywife,
Melanie Meaker: nothing I can write could even begin to describe how much I
owe to her in every other aspect of life and in finishing this book, which
would never have happened without her.
Contents
Introduction 1
Part I: Diodoros and His Work
 Diodoros of Agyrion 7
 The Bibliotheke 9
. Diodoros’ Conception of History 9
. Diodoros’ Historical Method 11
.. Diodoros and His Sources 12
.. The Organisation of the Material 26
.. Selection and Storyline 27
.. The Elaboration of the Material 39
. Language and Style 42
. The Text of Book XIX 51
 The Problem of the Sources 58
. The Lost Primary Authors 59
.. Hieronymos of Kardia 59
.. Douris of Samos 64
.. Diyllos of Athens 66
.. Hekataios of Abdera 66
. Diodoros’ Sources for the History of the Diadochoi 69
.. Methodological Issues 69
.. The Evidence of the Fragments 71
.. Indirect Evidence 77
 The Chronology of the Years 317–311 91
Part II: Commentary
§. Chronographic Formula for the Year 317/6 109
§ Olympias’ Return, the Deaths of Arrhidaios and Eurydike,
and Olympias’ Revenge on the Antipatrids for the Death
of Alexander 109
X Contents
§– Eumenes in Babylonia and the Crossing of the Tigris 131
§ Eumenes’ Alliance with the Governorsand Generals from the
Upper Satrapies 151
§ The Power Struggle of the Commanders of the Satrapal Alliance
and the Alexander Tent 167
§ The End of the Perdikkan Captives 176
§– Antigonos’ Crossing into the Upper Satrapies and the First
Skirmishing 183
§ Rest, Recovery and Replenishment in Media 202
§– The Struggle for Power in the Satrapal Coalition Surfaces
Again 204
§– The Prelude to the Battle of Paraitakene 223
§– The Battle of Paraitakene 231
§ The Aftermath of the Battle 259
§– Keteus’ Widows Compete to Join Their Husband in
Death 260
§– Kassandros’ Return to Macedonia and the Struggle against
Polyperchon and Olympias 269
§– The Build Up to the Battle of Gabiene 281
§– The Battle of Gabiene 290
§ The Aftermath of the Battle 306
§ The Flood of Rhodes 314
§– The Establishment of Antigonos’ Supremacy in Asia 319
§– The Defeat and Death of Olympias 333
§– The Establishment of Kassandros’ Power in Europe 344
§– Seleukos’ Flight and the Coalition against Antigonos 367
§– Antigonos’ Preparations for the War and the Siege of
Tyre 391
§ Antigonos’ Propagandistic Proclamation at Tyre 401
§ The Reaction of Ptolemaios 407
§– The First Phase of the War in Europe and the Aegean 414
§– The Second Year of the War 421
§– The Third Year of the War 437
§– Polemaios in Greece 455
§ Ptolemaios’ Interventions in Kyrene and Cyprus, and the Raids
on the Syrian and Kilikian Coasts 466
§– The Battle of Gaza 474
§– The Aftermath of the Battle 488
§ Telesphoros’ Revolt in the Peloponnese 499
§– Kassandros’ Operations in Epeiros and Illyria 501