Diodorus Siculus, Book XX

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/2/2025, 10:01:41 PM

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Description

Diodorus Siculus, Book XX

Overview

Diodorus Siculus, Book XX is a Greek text from the Bibliotheca historica (3rd century BC). The surviving manuscript, held by the Alexander Institute, comprises pages 335‑413 of Volume X and is available in the public domain via the PINAX digital repository. The book covers events from 304 to 303 BC, focusing on the Hellenistic world’s political and military affairs.

Background

Diodorus Siculus (c. 90‑c. 30 BC) compiled a universal history in Greek. Book XX was composed in 304‑303 BC, a period of intense conflict among the successor states of Alexander the Great. The Alexander Institute’s collection preserves the text in its original language, reflecting the scholarly tradition of preserving ancient historiography.

Contents

The narrative centers on the siege of Rhodes by Demetrius Poliorcetes, detailing the construction of the massive siege tower Helepolis and the use of ballistae, catapults, and rams. It records Demetrius’s landing at Pseudostomon, his capture of commanders Athenagoras, Damophilus, and Phila, and the supply efforts of Ptolemy I, Cassander, and Lysimachus. The book also recounts Agathocles’ campaigns in Sicily, his attacks on the Liparaean Islands and Gaza, and his conflict with Deinocrates. The Samnite‑Roman war is described, noting the participation of the Samnites and Rome. Finally, the reigns of Eumelus and Spartacus in the Bosporus are outlined, along with the construction of Rhodes’ second defensive wall.

Scope

Temporal: 304‑303 BC. Geographic: Rhodes, Sicily, Italy, Macedonia, the Bosporus, and the Levant. Thematic: Hellenistic military campaigns, sieges, political alliances, and regional governance. Included: Detailed accounts of the siege of Rhodes, Agathocles’ Sicilian operations, the Samnite‑Roman conflict, and Bosporan succession. Excluded: Earlier events of the Bibliotheca historica and later Hellenistic developments beyond 303 BC.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:document {title: "Diodorus Siculus, Book XX", creator: @diodorus_siculus, language: "grc", subjects: ["Ancient Greece","Ancient Rome","Siege of Rhodes","Agathocles","Demetrius Poliorcetes","Antigonus I Monophthalmus","Ptolemy I Soter","Cassander","Polyperchon","Samnites","Aetolians","Liparaean Islands","Eumelus","Spartacus"]} 

@book_xx:event {title: "Diodorus Siculus, Book XX"} 

@file_pinax -> documents -> @book_xx:event 

@agathocles:person {role: "Tyrant of Syracuse", active: @date_304_BC} 

@deinocrates:person {role: "Exiled commander", active: @date_306_BC} 

@antigonus_i:person {role: "King of Macedon", active: @date_306_BC} 

@demetrius:person {role: "Son of Antigonus I, commander of the siege of Rhodes", active: @date_306_BC} 

@pseudostomon:place {description: "Landing place near Gaza"} 

@rhodes:place {description: "Island city in the eastern Mediterranean"} 

@helepolis:concept {type: "siege tower", storeys: 9, height_cubits: 90} 

@siege_of_rhodes:event {description: "Siege of Rhodes by Demetrius", when: @date_306_BC, where: @rhodes} 

@liparaean_islands:place {description: "Liparaean Islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea"} 

@gaza:place {description: "City of Gaza in the Levant"} 

@ptolemy_i:person {role: "King of Egypt", active: @date_306_BC} 

@cassander:person {role: "Macedonian king", active: @date_306_BC} 

@lysimachus:person {role: "Macedonian king", active: @date_306_BC} 

@eumelus:person {role: "King of Bosporus", reign_start: @date_304_BC, reign_end: @date_302_BC} 

@spartacus:person {role: "Successor king of Bosporus", reign_start: @date_302_BC, reign_end: @date_282_BC} 

@bosporus:place {description: "Kingdom on the Cimmerian Bosporus"} 

@samnites:organization {region: "Italy"} 

@samnite_roman_war:event {description: "War between Samnites and Romans", when: @date_304_BC, where: @italy} 

@agathocles_campaign:event {description: "Agathocles’ campaigns in Sicily and the Levant", when: @date_304_BC} 

@agathocles_liparaean_incident:event {description: "Agathocles attacks the Liparaean Islands", when: @date_306_BC, where: @liparaean_islands} 

@agathocles_deinocrates_conflict:event {description: "Conflict between Agathocles and Deinocrates", when: @date_306_BC} 

@ballista:concept {type: "siege engine"} 

@catapult:concept {type: "siege engine"} 

@ram:concept {type: "battering ram"} 

@second_wall:event {description: "Construction of a second defensive wall in Rhodes", when: @date_306_BC, where: @rhodes} 

@athenagoras:person {role: "Milesian commander employed by Demetrius"} 

@damophilus:person {role: "Commander of guardships"} 

@phila:person {role: "Wife of Demetrius"} 

@alexandria:place {description: "City of Alexandria in Egypt"} 

@pasiphilus:person {role: "General of Syracuse"} 

@book_xx:event -> covers -> @siege_of_rhodes:event 

@siege_of_rhodes:event -> commander -> @demetrius 

@siege_of_rhodes:event -> opponent -> @rhodes 

@demetrius -> built -> @helepolis:concept {notes: "Massive siege tower used at Rhodes"} 

@demetrius -> used -> @ballista:concept 

@demetrius -> used -> @catapult:concept 

@demetrius -> used -> @ram:concept 

@demetrius -> besieged -> @rhodes:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@antigonus_i -> sent -> @demetrius:person {mission: "lead fleet against Rhodes"} 

@demetrius -> landed_at -> @pseudostomon:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@agathocles -> attacked -> @liparaean_islands:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@agathocles -> attacked -> @gaza:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@agathocles -> fought -> @deinocrates:person {when: @date_306_BC} 

@agathocles_campaign:event -> involved -> @agathocles:person 

@agathocles_liparaean_incident:event -> location -> @liparaean_islands:place 

@agathocles_deinocrates_conflict:event -> participants -> [@agathocles, @deinocrates] 

@ptolemy_i -> sent_supplies -> @rhodes:place {grain_measures: 300000, when: @date_306_BC} 

@cassander -> sent_troops -> @rhodes:place {troops: 1000, when: @date_306_BC} 

@lysimachus -> sent_troops -> @rhodes:place {troops: 5000, when: @date_306_BC} 

@eumelus -> ruled -> @bosporus:place {reign_start: @date_304_BC, reign_end: @date_302_BC} 

@spartacus -> succeeded -> @eumelus:person {reign_start: @date_302_BC, reign_end: @date_282_BC} 

@samnite_roman_war:event -> participants -> [@samnites, @rome] 

@samnite_roman_war:event -> occurred -> @date_304_BC 

@second_wall:event -> built_by -> @rhodes:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@demetrius -> captured -> @athenagoras:person {when: @date_306_BC} 

@demetrius -> captured -> @damophilus:person {when: @date_306_BC} 

@demetrius -> captured -> @phila:person {when: @date_306_BC} 

@phila -> sent_clothing -> @rhodes:place {clothing_type: "royal robes"} 

@demetrius -> sailed_from -> @alexandria:place {when: @date_306_BC} 

@demetrius -> attacked -> @rhodes:place {method: "siege engines"} 

@agathocles -> sent_envoy -> @deinocrates:person 

@deinocrates -> betrayed -> @agathocles:person 

@deinocrates -> appointed_general_by -> @agathocles:person 

@agathocles -> sent_envoy -> @pasiphilus:person 

@pasiphilus -> role -> @agathocles:person 

@samnites:organization -> fought -> @rome:place {war: @samnite_roman_war:event}

Metadata

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/2/2025, 10:01:41 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/2/2025, 9:57:36 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/2/2025, 9:54:33 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/2/2025, 9:52:39 PM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Diodorus_Siculus_Book_XX"

Additional Components (40)

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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_337.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_339.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_351.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_355.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_365.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_367.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_369.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_373.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_375.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_385.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_387.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_389.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_391.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_393.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_395.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_397.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_399.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_401.txt
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DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_405.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_407.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_409.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_411.txt
DIODORUS_SICULUS_Volume_X_Book_XX_Page_413.txt

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