1699 THE HISTORICAL LIBRARY OF DIODORUS THE SICILIAN 1ST ENGLISH EDITION MAPS FOLIO LEATHER EGYPT PERSIA WAR HISTORY by Diodorus Siculus, George Booth - 1699

THE HISTORICAL LIBRARY OF DIODORUS THE SICILIAN

1699/1700; Diodorus Siculus, George Booth; 1st English Edition; London, Printed by Edw. Jones for Awnsham and John Churchil; Folio Leather, Re-backed w/spine laid down; Illustrated Maps; 28/797/24 Pages; w8.3"xh12.7"; Extremely Rare!

ATTRIBUTES:

•Beautiful folio full leather, Blind stamped floral boards, •Re-backed spine with leather laid down, Faint floral stamped binding, •Marble end pages, Three required maps (2 two-page, 1 folding), •Separate title pages, And a Fascinating Read, •In early modern English on handmade paper! •Very Rare, No others for Sale; According to ESTC only around 50 are in housed in Institutions around the World!

FROM TITLE PAGE:

•The historical library of Diodorus the Sicilian in fifteen books : the first five contain the antiquities of Egypt, Asia, Africa, Greece, the Islands, and Europe. •The last ten, an historical account of the affairs of the Persians, Grecians, Macedonians and other parts of the world. •To which are added the fragments of Diodorus that are found in the Bibliotheca of Photius, Together with those publish'd by H. Valesius, L. Rhodomannus, and F. Ursinus.

SUMMARY:

•Bibliotheca historica, is a work of universal history by Diodorus Siculus. It consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, and describe the history and culture of Egypt (book I), of Mesopotamia, India, Scythia, and Arabia (II), of North Africa (III), and of Greece and Europe (IV–VI). In the next section (books VII–XVII), he recounts the history of the world starting with the Trojan War, down to the death of Alexander the Great. •The last section (books XVII to the end) concern the historical events from the successors of Alexander down to either 60 BC or the beginning of Caesar's Gallic War in 59 BC. (The end has been lost, so it is unclear whether Diodorus reached the beginning of the Gallic War, as he promised at the beginning of his work, or, as evidence suggests, old and tired from his labors he stopped short at 60 BC.) He selected the name "Bibliotheca" in acknowledgement that he was assembling a composite work from many sources. The authors he drew from, who have been identified, include: Hecataeus of Abdera, Ctesias of Cnidus, Ephorus, Theopompus, Hieronymus of Cardia, Duris of Samos, Diyllus, Philistus, Timaeus, Polybius and Posidonius.

BACKGROUND:

•Diodorus Siculus (fl. 1st century BC) or Diodorus of Sicily was a Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history Bibliotheca historica, much of which survives, between 60 and 30 BC. It is arranged in three parts. The first covers mythic history up to the destruction of Troy, arranged geographically, describing regions around the world from Egypt, India and Arabia to Greece and Europe. The second covers the Trojan War to the death of Alexander the Great. The third covers the period to about 60 BC. Bibliotheca, meaning 'library', acknowledges that he was drawing on the work of many other authors.

CONDITION:

•Condition is Fair/Good. Some wear to edges, abrasions/wear to boards, faint gold labeling to spine, signature to upper title page, pages are age toned/brown throughout, some blemishing, tattered edge to a few index pages, old tape repair to last index page near top, some pages are darker than other, hinges/text block are very good!