Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman Republic by Charles E. Muntz (review)

Muntz has written a thoughtful, provocative monograph on a subject of far-reaching significance. For better or for worse, the Bibliotheke of Diodorus Siculus is one of those historiographical texts that every modern historian of the Graeco-Roman world must eventually use. Eschewing mechanical application of the principles of Quellenforschung and simplistic solutions, Muntz illustrates the complicated nature of Diodorus' use of his sources and makes a compelling case for viewing the Bibliotheke as a product of the intellectual discussions of its time. Inviting readers to read and appreciate Diodorus as an author in his own right, Muntz argues not only for a complicated use of sources in Books 1–3, but also that the presentation itself is connected to Roman interest in Egypt, Assyria, and Ethiopia and their adjoining regions. In short, Diodorus is shown to be a source of information not only for the remote past and prior historiographical texts relating to it, but also for the period in which he researched and wrote the Bibliotheke.

This book is divided into seven chapters. As a whole, this monograph examines the content and form of Books 1–3 of the Bibliotheke of Diodorus Siculus, and Muntz makes a persuasive case that the Sicilian author's work reflects the milieu in which he wrote and that the treatment of "barbarian" cultures and mythical history is integral to this 40-book project of universal history. What is rapidly passed over or utilized only in part and for a specific topic, if in fact ever noticed, is shown to have clear relevance to Diodorus' entire historiographical project. Beginning with a review of the scholarship (Chapter 1 = pp. 1–26) and setting the stage with reflections upon the structure of the Bibliotheke (Chapter 2 = pp. 27–56), Muntz proceeds to discuss the nature of Diodorus' account of the development of civilization (Chapter 3 = pp. 57–88) and his handling of mythical history (Chapter 4 = pp. 89–131). There follows a discussion of the criteria that inform Diodorus' representation of culture-bringers as people who have been deified (Chapter 5 = 133–89). That, in turn, leads to an analysis of Diodorus' stance on monarchy and the relevance of this to contemporary discussion in the late Republic (Chapter 6 = 191–214). Muntz concludes his appraisal of Books 1–3 and their role in the Bibliotheke with an examination of the date of this work's composition and how these specific books may relate to the Roman civil wars of the 40s and 30s b.c.e. (Chapter 7 = pp. 215–47).

As an intellectual operating in the late Republic, Diodorus arguably has much to tell us about the interests and preoccupations of that epoch. In excerpting and reshaping sources, Diodorus inevitably put his own imprint upon them. Therefore, it is welcome to see Muntz looking at the Greek historiographical heritage that was available to Diodorus and evaluating the originality of his scheme for universal history. No immediate predecessor can be discerned as a model, even if the fourth-century work of Ephorus of Cyme did achieve something similar on a more limited scale for the Greek-speaking world subsequent to the return of the Heraclidae. With a view to clarifying matters for Books 1–3 of the Bibiliotheke, the sources and particular nature of the so-called Kulturgeschichte of Diodorus are explored at length. Readers are shown the emphasis that Diodorus places upon "necessity," metus hostilis, and "nature" as historical causes. Attention is also given to the contributions made by leaders and "culture bringers." The evidence for these figures is by and large mythological material, and Muntz draws attention to the fact that Diodorus was acquainted with the work of Hellenistic mythographers, but had no model for what he achieves in Books 1–6. Rationalization is frequently employed by Diodorus, so as to create an elevated tone of historical discourse, and Diodorus favours the Euhemeristic approach. Muntz goes on...