UA Historian Publishes New Look at an Ancient Greek Historian

University Relations

Charles Muntz

In Diodorus Siculus and the World of the Late Roman Republic (Oxford University Press), professor Charles E. Muntz offers a fresh look at one of the most neglected historians of the ancient world, and recovers Diodorus's originality and importance as a witness to a profoundly tumultuous period in antiquity.

Muntz says, "I've studied Greek and Roman historians from across almost 1,000 years of history, but I've never come across one who is so valuable, yet so neglected as Diodorus Siculus. Long derided as a mere summarizer of earlier historians, I demonstrate how Diodorus is a vital source for understanding the turbulent time of Julius Caesar and Augustus, and that the content and even the structure of his history reveals the extent, the limitations, and the potential of Roman world-power. Diodorus's unique outsider's status opens new perspectives on this period, and I expect that he will finally begin receiving the recognition as a contributor to the Greco-Roman historiographic tradition that he so richly deserves."

Muntz analyzes the first three books of Diodorus's Bibliotheke, some of the most varied and eclectic material in his work, in which Diodorus reveals through the history, myths, and customs of the "barbarians" the secrets of successful states and rulers, and contributes to the debates surrounding the transition from Republic to Empire. Calvin White Jr., chair of the Department of History, applauds Muntz on his recent publication. "Charlie's book has already received praise from some of the leading scholars in his field and is, without a doubt, an original contribution."

Diodorus has many similarities with other authors writing on these topics, including Cicero, Lucretius, Varro, Sallust, and Livy but, as Muntz argues, engaging with such controversial issues, even indirectly, could be especially dangerous for a Greek provincial such as Diodorus. Indeed, for these reasons he may never have completed or fully published the Bibliotheke in his lifetime. Through his careful and precise investigations, Muntz demonstrates Diodorus's historical context at its full size and scope.

Muntz is an assistant professor of history in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the U of A and has published works in some of the leading journals on ancient history.

About Oxford University Press: The University of Oxford has supported the printing of books since 1478, and first received royal recognition from Queen Elizabeth I in 1584. In 1636 Charles I issued a royal charter granting the University the right to print "all manner of books." Today Oxford University Press is the largest academic press in the world, and has offices in over 50 countries.