Diodorus Siculus, Book XX, Pages 265-273

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Description

Diodorus Siculus, Book XX, Pages 265‑273

Overview

This Greek text is an excerpt from Book XX of Diodorus Siculus’ Bibliotheca historica, covering the period of 307 BCE. The passage spans pages 265‑273 of the manuscript held by the Alexander Institute. It is written in Koine Greek and presents a narrative of political and military events in Athens, Cyprus, and Syria during the reign of the Diadochi.

Background

Diodorus Siculus (c. 90 – 30 BCE) compiled a universal history in ten volumes. Book XX focuses on the power struggles following Alexander the Great’s death, particularly the campaigns of Demetrius of Phalerum and Antigonus Monophthalmus. The manuscript originates from a 4th‑century CE codex, now preserved in the Alexander Institute’s collection. The text was transcribed by an unknown scribe, and its provenance is traced to the Pinax database, which records the passage’s inclusion in the broader historical narrative.

Contents

The excerpt recounts:
  • Liberation of Athens (307 BCE): Demetrius removes Cassander’s garrison, appointing Demetrius of Phalerum as military governor.
  • Siege of Munychia: Demetrius’ forces capture the fortified hill; commander Dionysius flees.
  • Campaign in Cyprus: Demetrius leads an expedition with 15,000 infantry, 400 cavalry, and over 110 triremes, securing the island and forming alliances with its cities.
  • Decree of Honors: Antigonus issues a decree in Athens granting golden chariot statues, honorary crowns, an altar of the Saviours, the addition of two tribes, and annual games to honor Demetrius and himself.
  • Founding and Dismantling of Antigonia: Antigonus founds Antigonia on the Orontes River; Seleucus later dismantles the city, transferring its stones to the new Seleucea.

The narrative also mentions Menelaus, a general of Ptolemy, and situates the events within the broader geopolitical landscape of Egypt, Cilicia, and Syria.

Scope

The passage covers the years around 307 BCE, focusing on the political and military history of Athens, Cyprus, and Syria, with references to Egypt and Cilicia. It includes descriptions of sieges, diplomatic decrees, city foundations, and military logistics. The text does not address cultural or economic aspects beyond the political implications of the events described.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@munychia:place {description: "Hill and fortified position in the Piraeus, the port of Athens", location: @athens}

@dionysius:person {role: "Commander of the garrison on Munychia", active: @date_307_BCE}

@demetrius_phalerum:person {full_name: "Demetrius of Phalerum", role: "Appointed military governor of Athens by Cassander"}

@antigonia:place {type: "city", founded_by: @antigonus, location: @syria}

@seleucea:place {type: "city", founded_by: @seleucus, location: @syria}

@liberation_of_athens:event {when: @date_307_BCE, where: @athens, actors: [@demetrius, @demetrius_phalerum], outcome: "Athens freed from Cassander's garrison"}

@siege_of_munychia:event {when: @date_307_BCE, where: @munychia, attackers: [@demetrius], defenders: [@dionysius], result: "Munychia captured, Dionysius fled"}

@campaign_cyprus:event {when: @date_307_BCE, where: @cyprus, commander: @demetrius, forces: {infantry: "15,000", cavalry: "400", ships: "over 110 triremes"}, outcome: "Demetrius seized Cyprus and secured alliance with its cities"}

@decree_honors:document {issued_by: @antigonus, recipients: [@demetrius, @antigonus], location: @athens, date: @date_307_BCE, content: "Golden statues in chariot, honorary crowns, altar of the Saviours, addition of two tribes, annual games"}

@founding_antigonia:event {when: @date_307_BCE, founder: @antigonus, location: @syria, description: "City founded on the Orontes River, named Antigonia"}

@dismantling_antigonia:event {when: @date_307_BCE, actor: @seleucus, action: "Dismantled Antigonia and transferred its stones to the new city Seleucea"}

@menelaus:person {role: "General of Ptolemy in Cyprus"}

@file_pinax -> documents -> @liberation_of_athens

@file_pinax -> documents -> @siege_of_munychia

@file_pinax -> documents -> @campaign_cyprus

@file_pinax -> documents -> @decree_honors

@file_pinax -> documents -> @founding_antigonia

@file_pinax -> subjects -> [@ancient_greece, @athens, @demetrius, @antigonus, @munychia, @cyprus, @ptolemy, @military_history, @political_history]

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_265 -> documents -> @liberation_of_athens

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_265 -> documents -> @siege_of_munychia

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_267 -> documents -> @siege_of_munychia

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_267 -> documents -> @liberation_of_athens

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_269 -> documents -> @decree_honors

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_269 -> documents -> @founding_antigonia

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_271 -> documents -> @campaign_cyprus

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_271 -> documents -> @menelaus

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_273 -> documents -> @founding_antigonia

@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_273 -> documents -> @dismantling_antigonia

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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_265.txt
Diodorus of Sicily
45. Τοῦ δ᾿ ἐνιαυσίου χρόνου διεληλυθότος Ἀθήνησι
μὲν ἦρχεν Ἀναξικράτης, ἐν Ῥώμῃ δὲ ὕπατοι
κατέστησαν Ἄππιος Κλαύδιος καὶ Λεύκιος Οὐολόμνιος.
ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων Δημήτριος μὲν ὁ Ἀντιγόνου
παραλαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς δύναμιν ἁδρὰν
πεζικήν τε καὶ ναυτικήν, ἔτι δὲ βελῶν καὶ τῶν
ἄλλων τῶν εἰς πολιορκίαν χρησίμων τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν
παρασκευὴν ἐξέπλευσεν ἐκ τῆς Ἐφέσου·
παράγγελμα δ᾿ εἶχεν ἐλευθεροῦν πάσας μὲν τὰς
κατὰ τὴν Ἑλλάδα πόλεις, πρώτην δὲ τὴν Ἀθηναίων,
2φρουρουμένην ὑπὸ Κασάνδρου. καταπλεύσαντος
δ᾿ αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως εἰς τὸν Πειραιᾶ
καὶ πανταχόθεν προσβαλόντος ἐξ ἐφόδου καὶ κήρυγμα
ποιησαμένου,1 Διονύσιος ὁ καθεσταμένος ἐπὶ
τῆς Μουνυχίας φρούραρχος καὶ Δημήτριος ὁ
Φαληρεὺς ἐπιμελητὴς τῆς πόλεως γεγενημένος ὑπὸ
Κασάνδρου, πολλοὺς ἔχοντες στρατιώτας, ἀπὸ τῶν
3τειχῶν ἠμύνοντο. τῶν δ᾿ Ἀντιγόνου στρατιωτῶν
τινες βιασάμενοι καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀκτὴν ὑπερβάντες
ἐντὸς τοῦ τείχους παρεδέξαντο πλείους τῶν συναγωνιζομένων.
τὸν μὲν οὖν Πειραιᾶ τοῦτον τὸν
τρόπον ἁλῶναι συνέβη, τῶν δ᾿ ἔνδον Διονύσιος μὲν
ὁ φρούραρχος εἰς τὴν Μουνυχίαν συνέφυγε, Δημήτριος
4δ᾿ ὁ Φαληρεὺς ἀπεχώρησεν εἰς ἄστυ. τῇ
δ᾿ ὑστεραίᾳ πεμφθεὶς μεθ᾿ ἑτέρων πρεσβευτὴς ὑπὸ
τοῦ δήμου πρὸς Δημήτριον καὶ περὶ τῆς αὐτονομίας
διαλεχθεὶς καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἀσφαλείας ἔτυχε παραπομπῆς

1After ποιησαμένου Fischer in apparatus suggests the
addition of ὅτι Δημήτριος τὰς Ἀθήνας ἐλευθεροῖ, cp. Plutarch,
Demetrius, 8.264Book XX
45. When that year had come to an end, Anaxicrates 307 b.c. was archon in Athens and in Rome Appius Claudius and Lucius Volumnius became consuls.1 While these held office, Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, having received from his father strong land and sea forces, also a suitable supply of missiles and of the other things requisite for carrying on a siege, set sail from Ephesus. He had instructions to free all the cities throughout Greece, but first of all Athens, which was held by a garrison of Cassander.2 Sailing into the Peiraeus with his forces, he at once made an attack on all sides and issued a proclamation.3 Dionysius, who had been placed in command of the garrison on Munychia, and Demetrius of Phalerum, who had been made military governor of the city4 by Cassander, resisted him from the walls with many soldiers. Some of Antigonus’ men, attacking with violence and effecting an entrance along the coast, admitted many of their fellow soldiers within the wall. The result was that in this way the Peiraeus was taken; and, of those within it, Dionysius the commander fled to Munychia and Demetrius of Phalerum withdrew into the city. On the next day, when he had been sent with others as envoys by the people to Demetrius and had discussed the independence of the city and his own security, he obtained a safe-conduct for himself and, giving




1Anaxicrates was archon in 307/6 b.c. In the Fasti the consuls for 307 b.c. are Ap. Claudius Caecus and L. Volumnius Flamma Violens; cp. Livy, 9. 42. 2. The narrative is continued from chap. 37. 6.2For this campaign cp. Plutarch, Demetrius, 8–9.3If we accept Fischer’s suggested supplement, we should add “that Demetrius was freeing Athens.”4i.e. of Athens.265
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_267.txt
Diodorus of Sicily

καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὰς Ἀθήνας ἀπογινώσκων
ἔφυγεν εἰς τὰς Θήβας, ὕστερον δὲ πρὸς Πτολεμαῖον
5εἰς Αἴγυπτον. οὗτος μὲν οὖν ἔτη δέκα τῆς πόλεως
ἐπιστατήσας ἐξέπεσεν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος τὸν εἰρημένον
τρόπον. ὁ δὲ δῆμος τῶν Ἀθηναίων κομισάμενος
τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἐψηφίσατο τιμὰς τοῖς αἰτίοις
τῆς αὐτονομίας.
Δημήτριος δ᾿ ἐπιστήσας τοὺς πετροβόλους καὶ
τὰς ἄλλας μηχανὰς καὶ τὰ βέλη προσέβαλλε τῇ
6Μουνυχίᾳ καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν. ἀμυνομένων
δὲ τῶν ἔνδον ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν εὐρώστως
συνέβαινε τοὺς μὲν περὶ Διονύσιον προέχειν ταῖς
δυσχωρίαις καὶ ταῖς τῶν τόπων ὑπεροχαῖς, οὔσης
τῆς Μουνυχίας ὀχυρᾶς οὐ μόνον ἐκ φύσεως ἀλλὰ
καὶ ταῖς τῶν τειχῶν κατασκευαῖς, τοὺς δὲ περὶ τὸν
Δημήτριον τῷ τε πλήθει τῶν στρατιωτῶν πολλαπλασίους
εἶναι καὶ ταῖς παρασκευαῖς πολλὰ πλεονεκτεῖν.
7τέλος δ᾿ ἐπὶ δύο ἡμέρας συνεχῶς τῆς
πολιορκίας γινομένης οἱ μὲν φρουροὶ τοῖς καταπέλταις
καὶ πετροβόλοις συντιτρωσκόμενοι καὶ
διαδόχους οὐκ ἔχοντες ἠλαττοῦντο, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν
Δημήτριον ἐκ διαδοχῆς κινδυνεύοντες καὶ νεαλεῖς
ἀεὶ γινόμενοι, διὰ τῶν πετροβόλων ἐρημωθέντος
τοῦ τείχους, ἐνέπεσον εἰς τὴν Μουνυχίαν καὶ τοὺς
μὲν φρουροὺς ἠνάγκασαν θέσθαι τὰ ὅπλα, τὸν δὲ
φρούραρχον Διονύσιον ἐζώγρησαν.
46. Τούτων δὲ ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις κατευτυχηθέντων
ὁ μὲν Δημήτριος κατασκάψας τὴν Μουνυχίαν ὁλόκληρον
τῷ δήμῳ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀποκατέστησεν καὶ
2φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνέθετο, οἱ δὲ
Ἀθηναῖοι γράψαντος ψήφισμα Στρατοκλέους ἐψηφίσαντο
266Book XX

up the direction of Athens, fled to Thebes and later 307 b.c. into Egypt to Ptolemy.1 And so this man, after he had been director of the city for ten years, was driven from his fatherland in the way described. The Athenian people, having recovered their freedom, decreed honours to those responsible for their liberation.
Demetrius, however, bringing up ballistae and the other engines of war and missiles, assaulted Munychia both by land and by sea. When those within defended themselves stoutly from the walls, it turned out that Dionysius had the advantage of the difficult terrain and the greater height of his position, for Munychia was strong both by nature and by the fortifications which had been constructed, but that Demetrius was many times superior in the number of his soldiers and had a great advantage in his equipment. Finally, after the attack had continued unremittingly for two days, the defenders, severely wounded by the catapults and the ballistae and not having any men to relieve them, had the worst of it; and the men of Demetrius, who were fighting in relays and were continually relieved, after the wall had been cleared by the ballistae, broke into Munychia, forced the garrison to lay down its arms, and took the commander Dionysius alive.2
46. After gaining these successes in a few days and razing Munychia completely, Demetrius restored to the people their freedom and established friendship and an alliance with them. The Athenians, Stratocles


1Cp. Diogenes Laertius, 5. 78; Strabo, 9. 1. 20 (p. 398).2Plutarch, Demetrius, 9, places the capture of Megara (cp. chap. 46. 3) between the surrender of Athens and the faking of Munychia.267
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_269.txt
Diodorus of Sicily

χρυσᾶς μὲν εἰκόνας ἐφ᾿ ἅρματος στῆσαι τοῦ
τε Ἀντιγόνου καὶ Δημητρίου πλησίον Ἁρμοδίου
καὶ Ἀριστογείτονος, στεφανῶσαι δὲ ἀμφοτέρους
ἀπὸ ταλάντων διακοσίων καὶ βωμὸν ἱδρυσαμένους
προσαγορεῦσαι Σωτήρων, πρὸς δὲ τὰς δέκα φυλὰς
προσθεῖναι δύο, Δημητριάδα καὶ Ἀντιγονίδα, καὶ
συντελεῖν αὐτοῖς κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν ἀγῶνας καὶ πομπὴν
καὶ θυσίαν, ἐνυφαίνειν τε1 αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν τῆς
3Ἀθηνᾶς πέπλον.2 ὁ μὲν οὖν δῆμος ἐν τῷ Λαμιακῷ
πολέμῳ καταλυθεὶς ὑπ᾿ Ἀντιπάτρου μετ᾿ ἔτη
πεντεκαίδεκα παραδόξως ἐκομίσατο τὴν πάτριον
πολιτείαν· ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος, φρουρουμένης τῆς
Μεγαρέων πόλεως, ἐκπολιορκήσας αὐτὴν ἀπέδωκεν
τὴν αὐτονομίαν τῷ δήμῳ καὶ τιμῶν ἀξιολόγων
ἔτυχεν ὑπὸ τῶν εὖ παθόντων.
4Ἀντίγονος δέ, παραγενομένων πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἀθήνηθεν
πρεσβευτῶν καὶ τό τε περὶ τῶν τιμῶν ἀναδόντων
ψήφισμα καὶ περὶ σίτου καὶ ξύλων εἰς
ναυπηγίαν διαλεχθέντων, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς πυροῦ μὲν
μεδίμνων πεντεκαίδεκα μυριάδας, ὕλην δὲ τὴν
ἱκανὴν ναυσὶν ἑκατόν· ἐξ Ἴμβρου δὲ τὴν φρουρὰν
5ἐξαγαγὼν ἀπέδωκεν αὐτοῖς τὴν πόλιν. πρὸς δὲ
τὸν υἱὸν Δημήτριον ἔγραψε κελεύων τῶν μὲν συμμαχίδων
πόλεων συνέδρους συστήσασθαι τοὺς
βουλευσομένους κοινῇ περὶ τῶν τῇ Ἑλλάδι συμφερόντων,
αὐτὸν δὲ μετὰ τῆς δυνάμεως εἰς Κύπρον
πλεῦσαι καὶ διαπολεμῆσαι τὴν ταχίστην πρὸς τοὺς




1ἐνυφαίνειν τε Dindorf: ἐνυφαινόντων.2κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν after πέπλον omitted by Wesseling.268Book XX

writing the decree,1 voted to set up golden statues 307 b.c. of Antigonus and Demetrius in a chariot near the statues of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, to give them both honorary crowns at a cost of two hundred talents, to consecrate an altar to them and call it the altar of the Saviours, to add to the ten tribes two more, Demetrias and Antigonis, to hold annual games in their honour with a procession and a sacrifice, and to weave their portraits in the peplos of Athena. Thus the common people, deprived of power in the Lamian War by Antipater,2 fifteen years afterwards unexpectedly recovered the constitution of the fathers. Although Megara was held by a garrison, Demetrius took it by siege, restored their autonomy to its people, and received noteworthy honours from those whom he had served.3
When an embassy had come to Antigonus from Athens and had delivered to him the decree concerning the honours conferred upon him and discussed with him the problem of grain and of timber for ships, he gave to them one hundred and fifty thousand medimni4 of grain and timber sufficient for one hundred ships; he also withdrew his garrison from Imbros and gave the city back to the Athenians. He wrote to his son Demetrius ordering him to call together counsellors from the allied cities who should consider in common what was advantageous for Greece, and to sail himself with his army to Cyprus and finish the war with




1For the honours conferred on Demetrius and Antigonus
cp. Plutarch, Demetrius, 10–12. For Stratocles, an old
political ally of Hypereides, who had acted as an accuser in the affair of Harpalus and had played an important rôle in Athens during the Lamian War, cp. Plutarch, Demetrius, 11–12. A number of decrees which he introduced in the Assembly in this period are extant, e.g. IG, 2. 240, 247.2Cp. Book 18. 18.3But cp. the note on chap. 45. 7.4About 230,000 bushels.269
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_271.txt
Diodorus of Sicily
6Πτολεμαίου στρατηγούς. οὗτος μὲν οὖν συντόμως
πάντα πράξας κατὰ τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ
κομισθεὶς ἐπὶ Καρίας παρεκάλει τοὺς Ῥοδίους πρὸς
τὸν κατὰ Πτολεμαίου πόλεμον. οὐ προσεχόντων
δ᾿ αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ κοινὴν εἰρήνην αἱρουμένων ἄγειν
πρὸς ἅπαντας ταύτην ἀρχὴν συνέβη γενέσθαι τῷ
δήμῳ τῆς πρὸς Ἀντίγονον ἀλλοτριότητος.
47. Ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος παραπλεύσας εἰς Κιλικίαν
κἀκεῖθεν ναῦς καὶ στρατιώτας προσλαβόμενος διέπλευσεν
εἰς τὴν Κύπρον ἔχων πεζοὺς μὲν μυρίους
πεντακισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ τετρακοσίους, ναῦς δὲ
ταχυναυτούσας μὲν τριήρεις1 πλείους τῶν ἑκατὸν
δέκα, τῶν δὲ βαρυτέρων στρατιωτίδων πεντήκοντα
καὶ τρεῖς καὶ πόρια τῶν παντοδαπῶν ἱκανὰ τῷ
2πλήθει τῶν ἱππέων τε καὶ πεζῶν. καὶ τὸ μὲν
πρῶτον κατεστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ παραλίᾳ τῆς
Καρπασίας καὶ νεωλκήσας τὰ σκάφη χάρακι καὶ
τάφρῳ βαθείᾳ τὴν παρεμβολὴν ὠχύρωσεν· ἔπειτα
τοῖς πλησιοχώροις προσβολὰς ποιησάμενος εἷλε
κατὰ κράτος Οὐρανίαν καὶ Καρπασίαν, τῶν δὲ
νεῶν τὴν ἱκανὴν φυλακὴν ἀπολιπὼν ἀνέζευξε μετὰ
3τῆς δυνάμεως ἐπὶ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα. ὁ δὲ τεταγμένος
ὑπὸ Πτολεμαίου τῆς νήσου στρατηγὸς Μενέλαος
συναγαγὼν τοὺς στρατιώτας ἐκ τῶν φρουρίων
διέτριβεν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι, ἀπεχόντων δὲ τεσσαράκοντα




1τριήρεις omitted by Hertlein. Cp. note on translation.270Book XX

the generals of Ptolemy as soon as possible.1 Demetrius, 307 b.c. promptly doing all according to his father’s orders, moved toward Caria and summoned the Rhodians for the war against Ptolemy. They did not obey, preferring to maintain a common peace with all, and this was the beginning of the hostility between that people and Antigonus.
47. Demetrius, after coasting along to Cilicia and there assembling additional ships and soldiers, sailed to Cyprus with fifteen thousand foot-soldiers and four hundred horsemen, more than one hundred and ten swift triremes, fifty-three heavier transports,2 and freighters of every kind sufficient for the strength of his cavalry and infantry. First he went into camp on the coast of Carpasia,3 and after beaching his ships, strengthened his encampment with a palisade and a deep moat; then, making raids on the peoples who lived near by, he took by storm Urania4 and Carpasia; then leaving an adequate guard for the ships, he moved with his forces against Salamis. Menelaüs,5 who had been made general of the island by Ptolemy, had gathered his soldiers from the outposts and was waiting in Salamis; but when the enemy was at a




1Cp. chap. 27.2So the text; but in chap. 50. 1–3 we find that Demetrius,
after leaving 10 quinqueremes at Salamis, had 10 quinqueremes,
10 sixes, and 7 sevens in his left wing alone. It seems certain, therefore, that the βαρύτεραι στρατιώτιδες are not transports (which is the regular meaning of the term) but heavy warships (quinqueremes and larger) carrying armed men as well as oarsmen. Such ships would fight by boarding rather than by ramming (cp. Tarn, Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments, 144). It is quite certain also that among the ταχυναυτοῦσαι ναῦς are the quadriremes mentioned in the battle (chap. 50. 3), the τριήρεις of the text being an error either of the copyists or of Diodorus himself. For this whole passage cp. Beloch, Griechische Geschichte2, 4. 1. 154, note 1.3On the north coast of Cyprus, near the end of the cape that projects to the north-east.4The exact situation of this city is unknown.5Cp. chap. 21. 1.271
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_273.txt
Diodorus of Sicily

σταδίους τῶν πολεμίων ἐξῆλθεν ἔχων πεζοὺς μὲν
μυρίους καὶ δισχιλίους, ἱππεῖς δὲ περὶ ὀκτακοσίους.
γενομένης δὲ μάχης ἐπ᾿ ὀλίγον χρόνον οἱ μὲν περὶ
τὸν Μενέλαον ἐκβιασθέντες ἐτράπησαν, ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος
συνδιώξας τοὺς πολεμίους εἰς τὴν πόλιν
αἰχμαλώτους μὲν ἔλαβεν οὐ πολὺ ἐλάττους τρισχιλίων,
4ἀνεῖλε δὲ περὶ χιλίους. τοὺς δ᾿ ἁλόντας τὸ
μὲν πρῶτον ἀπολύσας τῶν ἐγκλημάτων καταδιεῖλεν
εἰς τὰς τῶν ἰδίων στρατιωτῶν τάξεις· ἀποδιδρασκόντων
δ᾿ αὐτῶν πρὸς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Μενέλαον διὰ
τὸ τὰς ἀποσκευὰς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καταλελοιπέναι παρὰ
Πτολεμαίῳ, γνοὺς ἀμεταθέτους ὄντας ἐνεβίβασεν
εἰς τὰς ναῦς καὶ πρὸς Ἀντίγονον εἰς Συρίαν
ἀπέστειλεν.
5Οὗτος δὲ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον διέτριβε περὶ τὴν
ἄνω Συρίαν, πόλιν κτίζων περὶ τὸν Ὀρόντην ποταμὸν
τὴν ὠνομασμένην Ἀντιγονίαν ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ.
κατεσκεύαζε δὲ πολυτελῶς, τὴν περίμετρον ὑποστησάμενος
σταδίων ἑβδομήκοντα· εὐφυὴς γὰρ ἦν
ὁ τόπος ἐφεδρεῦσαι τῇ τε Βαβυλῶνι καὶ ταῖς ἄνω
σατραπείαις καὶ πάλιν τῇ κάτω Συρίᾳ καὶ ταῖς
6περὶ Αἰγύπτου σατραπείαις.1 οὐ μὴν πολύν γε χρόνον
συνέβη μεῖναι τὴν πόλιν, Σελεύκου καθελόντος
αὐτὴν καὶ μεταγαγόντος ἐπὶ τὴν κτισθεῖσαν
μὲν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἀπ᾿ ἐκείνου δὲ κληθεῖσαν Σελεύκειαν.2
ἀλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἀκριβῶς ἕκαστα
δηλώσομεν ἐπὶ τοὺς οἰκείους χρόνους παραγενηθέντες·


1ταῖς περὶ Αἰγύπτου σατραπείαις Reiske, ταῖς ἀπ᾿ Αἰ. στρατείαις
Madvig, τοῖς περὶ Αἰ. πράγμασι Fischer in apparatus, cp.
chap. 104. 4: ταῖς ἀπ᾿ Αἰ. σατραπείας.2ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκείνου κληθεῖσαν Ἀντιόχειαν Dindorf.272Book XX

distance of forty stades,1 he came out with twelve 307 b.c. thousand foot and about eight hundred horse. In a battle of short duration which occurred, the forces of Menelaüs were overwhelmed and routed; and Demetrius, pursuing the enemy into the city, took prisoners numbering not much less than three thousand and killed about a thousand. At first he freed the captives of all charges and distributed them among the units of his own soldiers; but when they ran off to Menelaüs because their baggage had been left behind in Egypt with Ptolemy, recognizing that they would not change sides, he forced them to embark on his ships and sent them off to Antigonus in Syria.
At this time Antigonus was tarrying in upper Syria, founding a city on the Orontes River, which he called Antigonia after himself. He laid it out on a lavish scale, making its perimeter seventy stades2; for the location was naturally well adapted for watching over Babylon and the upper satrapies, and again for keeping an eye upon lower Syria and the satrapies near Egypt.3 It happened, however, that the city did not survive very long, for Seleucus dismantled it and transported it to the city which he founded and called Seleucea after himself.4 But we shall make these matters clear in detail when we




1About 4 ½ miles.2About 8 miles.3Or, reading ταῖς ἀπ᾿ Αἰγύπτου στρατείαις, “and expeditions from Egypt”; or again, reading τοῖς περὶ Αἰγύπτου πράγμασι, “and affairs in Egypt.”4So the text; but the city was actually called Antiochea after Seleucus’ father. The error is probably Diodorus’ rather than the copyist’s. Antigonia was not completely abandoned; at least it is mentioned as if still in existence in 51 b.c. (Dio Cassius, 40. 29. 1. Cp. also Benziger, in Pauly-Wissowa, s.v. Antiocheia (1) and Antigoneia (1).)273

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