Diodoros of Sicily: Bibliotheke Historike: Volume 2, Books 16-17: The Rise of Macedon under Philip II and the Conquests of Alexander III (the Great)

A fresh annotated translation of Diodoros' invaluable account of the careers of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.

The second in a three-volume translation of books 14–20 of Diodoros of Sicily's Bibliotheke Historike, covering the crucial period of Greek history which saw the rise of Macedon under Philip II and the career of his son, Alexander the Great. Accompanied by extensive notes and a substantial Introduction.Diodoros of Sicily (c.90–c.30 BC) spent thirty years producing an encyclopedic compendium of world history from its mythical beginnings to his own day. His is the only surviving, connected account of Greek affairs from 480/79 to 302/1. The books translated in this volume offer the best account of the career of Philip II of Macedon, his conquest of Greece and his assassination, as well as the earliest extant history of the career of Alexander the Great. Book 16 is also the main source for the Persian re-conquest of Egypt by Artaxerxes III (Okhos), the seizure of Delphi by the Phokians in the Third Sacred War, and Athens' defeat by a coalition of her allies in the Social War. The translation is supported by extensive notes, and the Introduction examines Diodoros' moral and educational purpose in writing, the plan of his work, his sources, and his qualities as a historian.