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Eusebius, Chronography

ToposText · Eusebius · 120 sections

  1. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:91

    § 91 Listing of the Macedonian Kings Following Alexander, Son of Philippus. 1. Aridaeus, also called Philippus, 7 years. 2. Cassander, 19 years. 3. The sons of Cassander, 3 years and 6 months. 4. Demetrius Poliorcetes, 6 years. 5. Pyrrhus, 7 months. 6. Lysimachus, 5 years and 5 months. 7. Ptolemy Ceraunus, 1 year and 5 months. 8. Meleager, 2 months. 9. Antipater son of Lysimachus, 45 days. 10. Sosthenes, 2 years. 11. No Ruler/ Anarchy, 2 years. 12. Antigonus Gonatas, 34 years. 13. Demetrius the Fair, 10 years. 14. Antigonus Phuscus, 12 years. 15. Philippus, 42 years. 16. Perseus, 10 years and 8 months. 17. Self Rule/Autonomy, 19 years. 18. The false Philippus, 1 year. After this the Romans ruled them. The Kings of the Thessalians. The Thessalians and Epirus had the same rulers as the Macedonians for a long period. The Romans made them autonomous after the Roman general Titus defeated Philippus in Thessaly. But they too became tributary to the Romans, and for the same reasons. They too were ruled by Aridaeus, also called Philippus, for seven years after the death of Alexander. Then his successor Cassander ruled over Epirus and the Thessalians for 19 years. After him, his son Philippus for 4 months. Then his brothers Antipater and Alexander, for 2 years and 6 months. And then Demetrius the son of [ Antigonus ] for 6 years and 6 months. After him, Pyrrhus for 4 years and 4 months. Then Lysimachus the son of Agathocles for 6 years. And Ptolemaeus, who was called Ceraunus, for one year and 5 months. Then Meleager for 2 months. After him, Antipater the son of Lysimachus for 45 days. After him, Sosthenes for one year. Then there was anarchy for 2 years and 2 months, after which Antigonus the son of Demetrius [ruled] for 34 years and 2 months.

  2. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:92

    § 92 During these years, Pyrrhus took over Antigonus' army and ruled a few regions, but he lost control of them when he was defeated by Demetrius the son of Antigonus in a battle at Derdia. Soon after this Antigonus died, and his son Demetrius reigned for 10 years. After him, Antigonus, the son of Demetrius who went off to Cyrene and of Olympias the daughter of Pauliclitus of Larisa, [ruled] for 9 years. Antigonus came to the aid of the Achaeans, defeated Cleomenes the king of the Spartans in battle, and liberated Sparta. Therefore the Achaean people honoured him like a god. After him, Philippus the son of Demetrius reigned for 23 years and 9 months, until he was defeated in a battle in Thessaly by Titus the Roman general. Then the Romans allowed the Thessalians to be autonomous, along with the rest of the Greeks who had been subject to Philippus. For the first year there was anarchy in Thessaly, but then they started to elect annual generals, chosen from the masses. The first to be elected was Pausanias the son of Echecrates, from Pherae. Then Amyntas the son of Crates, from Pieria; in his year, Titus returned to Rome. Then Aeacides the son of Callas, from Metropolis. Then Epidromas the son of Andromachus, from Larisa, for 8 months only; for the remaining 4 months of the year, the leader was Eunomus the son of Polyclitus, from Larisa. Eunomus was leader again for one year. Then Aeacides the son of Callas, from Metropolis, for a second time. Then Pravilus the son of Phaxas, from Scotussa. Then Eunomus the son of Polyclitus, from Larisa, for a second time. Then Androsthenes the son of Italus, from Gyrtone. Then Thrasymachus the son of Alexander, from Atrax. Then Laontomenes the son of Damothon, from Pherae. Then Pausanias the son of Damothon. Then Theodorus the son of Alexander, from Argos. Then Nicocrates the son of Paxinas, from Scotussa. Then Hippolochus the son of Alexippus, from Larisa. Then Cleomachides the son of Aeneus, from Larisa. Then Phyrinus the son of Aristomenes, from Gomphi. In his year, Philippus the king of Macedonia died, and was succeeded by his son Perseus. As we said, Philippus reigned over the Thessalians for 3 years and 9 months, but in all he reigned over the Macedonians for 42 years and 9 months. From the start of the reign of Philippus [ Aridaeus ] until the death of Philippus the son of Demetrius, that is from the second year of the 114th Olympiad [323 BCE] until the fifth month of the second year of the 150th Olympiad [179 BCE], is a total of 144 years and five months.

  3. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:93

    § 93 All the Thessalian Kings. 1. Aridaeus, also called Philippus, 7 years. 2. Cassander, 19 years. 3. Philippus, 4 months. 4. Antigonus and Alexander, 2 years and 6 months. 5. Demetrius, 6 years and 6 months. 6. Pyrrhus, 3 years and 6 months. 7. Lysimachus, 6 years. 8. Ptolemy, also called Ceraunus, 1 year and 5 months. 9. Meleager, 2 months. 10. Antipater, 45 days. 11. Sosthenes, 1 year. 12. (Anarchy), 2 years and 2 months. 13. Antigonus, 33 years and 2 months. 14. Demetrius, 10 years. 15. Antigonus, 9 years. 16. Philippus, 23 years and 9 months. And then the following generals: Pausanias, Amyntas, Aeacides, Epidromus, Eunomus, Aeacides again, Praviles, Eunomus again, Androsthenes, Thrasymachus, Laontomenes, Pausanias, Theodorus, Nicocrates, Hippolochus, Cleomachides, Phyrinus, and Philippus.

  4. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:94

    § 94 Kings of Asia [Minor] and Syria [The Kings of Asia Minor after Alexander the Great's death.] In the 6th year of Philippus [son of] Aridaeus, which was the third year of the 115th Olympiad [318 BCE], Antigonus became the first king of Asia [Minor]. He reigned for 18 years, and lived in all for 86 years. He was the most formidable of the kings of that period, and died in Phrygia. All the other rulers had attacked him out of fear of him, in the fourth year of the 119th Olympiad [301 BCE]. His son Demetrius saved himself by escaping to Ephesus. However he lost control of all of Asia. [ Demetrius ] was considered the most violent of kings. He was particularly [skilled] in siege warfare, and so was nicknamed “the besieger” [Poliorcetes]. Demetrius reigned for 17 years, and lived a total of 54 years. Starting from the first year of the 120th Olympiad [300 BCE], he ruled jointly with his father for 2 years, which were included in the 17 years of his reign. In the fourth year of the [123rd] Olympiad [285 BCE] he was captured by Seleucus and sent to Cilicia, and was kept in custody by Seleucus in a manner appropriate to a king. He died in the fourth year of the 124th Olympiad [281 BCE]. Such were the reigns of Antigonus and Demetrius. At this time Lysimachus was ruling in Lydia opposite Thrace, and Seleucus was ruling in the upper (eastern) regions and Syria. Both of them started to reign in the first year of the 114th Olympiad [324 BCE]. We shall not describe Lysimachus' reign, but we shall describe what took place during Seleucus' reign. Now Ptolemy, the first [post- Alexandrian ] king of the Egyptians, went to Old Gaza and defeated Demetrius the son of Antigonus in battle. After this he appointed Seleucus as king of Syria and the eastern regions. Seleucus went to Babylonia and defeated the barbarians there; so he was given the name Nicanor, which means “victor”. He reigned for 32 years, from the first year of the 117th Olympiad [312 BCE] until the fourth year of the 124th Olympiad [281 BCE], and lived for a total of 75 years. Eventually, he was deceived and killed by his friend Ptolemy called Ceraunus. [ Seleucus ] was succeeded by his son Antiochus, from Apame the Persian. Antiochus was called Soter which means “Savior”, and died in the [third] year of the 129th Olympiad [262 BCE] after he had lived for a total of 54 years and had reigned for 19 years, from the first year of the 125th Olympiad [280 BCE] until the third year of the 129th Olympiad [262 BCE].

  5. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:95

    § 95 Antiochus Soter's children by Stratonice the daughter of Demetrius were a son Antiochus, and two daughters Stratonice and Apame. Apame became the wife of [?] while Stratonice was married to Demetrius the king of the Macedonians. When he died, he was succeeded by Antiochus called Theos, in the fourth year of the 129th Olympiad [261 BCE]. After 19 years, Antiochus Theos fell ill, and died at Ephesus in the third year of the [133rd] Olympiad [246 BCE], after living for a total of 40 years. He had two sons, Seleucus called Callinicus and Antigonus, and two daughters by Laodice the daughter of Achaeus, of whom one was married to Mithridates and the other to Ariathes. The elder son Seleucus, who as we said was called Callinicus, succeeded Antiochus and reigned for 21 years, from the third year of the 133rd Olympiad [246 BCE] until the second year of the 138th Olympiad [227 BCE]. Later on when he died, Seleucus was succeeded by his son, Seleucus called Ceraunus. However during his lifetime it happened that his younger brother Antigonus refused to accept the state of affairs and tried to take power. Antigonus had help and assistance from [ Alexander ], the brother of his mother Laodice, who controlled the city of Sardis. He also was allied to the Galatians in two battles. Seleucus won a battle in Lydia, but he was unable to capture Sardis or Ephesus, which was held by Ptolemy. Then Seleucus fought a second battle against Mithridates in Cappadocia, where 20,000 of his men were killed by the barbarians, and he himself lost his life. Meanwhile Ptolemy called Tryphon seized part of Syria, but his siege of Damascus and Orthosia was stopped in the third year of the 134th Olympiad [242 BCE], when Seleucus advanced to that region. Antigonus the brother of Callinicus circulated around in greater Phrygia and placed the inhabitants under taxation. Then he dispatched his generals with an army against Seleucus. But he was betrayed by his own volunteers to the barbarians. But he escaped with a few men and went to Magnesia. The next day he fought again and won, with auxiliary military assistance from Ptolemy. He then married the daughter of Zielas. However, in the fourth year of the 137th Olympiad [229 BCE] he fought twice in the country of Lydia and was defeated, and he warred with Attalus in the region of Lake Coloe. In the first year of the 138th Olympiad [228 BCE], after a battle in Caria he was forced by Attalus to flee to Thrace, where he died. Now it happened that Seleucus Callinicus, the brother of Antigonus, died the next year. He was succeeded by his son Alexander, who adopted the name Seleucus, and was called Ceraunus by his troops. Seleucus had a brother called Antiochus. After reigning for three years, Seleucus was treacherously attacked and killed in Phrygia by a Galatian called Nicanor, in about the first year of the 139th Olympiad [224 BCE]. He was succeeded by his brother Antiochus, whom the army recalled from Babylon. Antiochus was called [the Great] and reigned for 36 years, from the second year of the 139th Olympiad [223 BCE] until the second year of the 148th Olympiad [187 BCE] when he made an expedition to Susa and the eastern provinces, but was killed with all of his nobles in battle with the Elymaeans. He was survived by two sons, Seleucus and Antiochus.

  6. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:96

    § 96 Seleucus succeeded his father in the third year of the 148th Olympiad [186 BCE], and reigned for 12 years, until the first year of the 151st Olympiad [176 BCE]. He lived for a total of 60 years. When Seleucus died, he was succeeded by his brother Antiochus called Epiphanes, who reigned for 11 years, from the third year of the 151st Olympiad [174 BCE] until the first year of the 154th Olympiad [164 BCE]. While Antiochus Epiphanes was still alive, his son Antiochus called Eupator was made king, when he was only twelve years old, after which his father lived for an additional one year and six months. Then Demetrius, who had been given to the Romans by his father Seleucus as a hostage, escaped from Rome to Phoenicia, and came to the city of Tripolis. Demetrius killed the young Antiochus along with his guardian Lysias, and made himself king in the fourth year of the 154th Olympiad [161 BCE]; he was called Soter, and reigned for 12 years, until the fourth year of the 157th Olympiad [149 BCE] when he was slain. He was forced to fight for his kingdom against Alexander, who brought in mercenaries from Ptolemy and other troops from Attalus. But he was killed in battle. Alexander gained control of Syria in the third year of the 157th Olympiad [150 BCE], and ruled for 5 years. He died in the fourth year of the 158th Olympiad [145 BCE], in a battle near the city of Antioch against Ptolemy, who had come to the aid of Demetrius the son of Demetrius. Ptolemy also was wounded and died in the same battle. The war was continued by the aforementioned Demetrius, the son of Demetrius. Arriving from Seleuceia, he defeated Antiochus the son of Alexander, who was based in Syria and the city of Antioch, and started to reign in the first year of the 160th Olympiad [140 BCE]. The next year, he gathered troops and set off for Babylon and the eastern regions, to fight against Arsaces. But the next year, which was the third year of the 160th Olympiad [138 BCE], he was captured by Arsaces, who sent him to be held prisoner in Parthia; so he was called Nicanor, “victor”, because he had defeated Antiochus the son of Alexander. He was also called Seripides because he was kept in prison in chains. When the younger brother of Demetrius — who was called Antiochus Sidetes since he was brought up in the city of Side — heard that Demetrius had been defeated and made a prisoner, he left Side and in the fourth year of the 160th Olympiad [137 BCE] gained control of Syria, which he ruled for nine years. In the third year of the 162nd Olympiad [130 BCE] he conquered the Jews, after a siege [of Jerusalem ] and put their most select leaders to death. Arsaces came with 120,000 troops the fourth year of the 162nd Olympiad [129 BCE],and attacked. Moreover, he tried to make mischief by sending [ Antiochus'] brother Demetrius, who had been kept as a prisoner, back to Syria. Now winter was coming on and Antiochus attacked the barbarians in a narrow place. But as the battle grew fiercer he was injured and killed at 35 years of age. [ Antiochus'] son Seleucus, who was a lad, had accompanied him. He was captured and taken off by king Arsaces though kept in royal style.

  7. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:97

    § 97 Antiochus the fifth had three sons and two daughters; the first two, the daughters, were both called Laodice. The third, called Antiochus, fell ill and died, like his sisters. The fourth was Seleucus, who was captured by Arsaces. The fifth was another Antiochus, who was raised by Craterus the eunuch at Cyzicus, where he had fled with Craterus and the rest of Antiochus' servants, through fear of Demetrius. One [of the brothers] had already died, along with his sister, so only Antiochus was left, the youngest of the brothers. He was called Cyzicenus because he lived in Cyzicus. In the second year of the 163rd Olympiad [127 BCE], Demetrius returned [to Syria ]. Thus began his second reign after having been held captive for 10 years. As soon as he returned from captivity, he turned his attention to Egypt. He marched as far as Pelusium, but when Ptolemy Physcon opposed him Demetrius had to retreat, because his soldiers challenged his command and loathed him. Ptolemy was enraged by this [development] and set up Alexander, the so-called son of Alexander, to be king of Asia. The Syrians called Alexander “Zabinas” because they thought that he had been bought by Ptolemy to collaborate. Demetrius was defeated in a battle at Damascus, and fled to Tyre, but was refused entry into the city. While trying to escape by boat, he was seized and killed, in the first year of the 164th Olympiad [124 BCE]. Prior to his captivity he had reigned for 3 years, and after his release he reigned an additional 4 years. Demetrius was succeeded by his son Seleucus, who died immediately afterwards as a result of his mother's slander. His younger brother Antiochus took charge in the second year of the 164th Olympiad [123 BCE], and in the third year he defeated Zabinas, who committed suicide with poison because he could not endure the defeat. Antiochus reigned for 11 years, until the fourth year of the 166th Olympiad [113 BCE]; the one year of his brother Seleucus' reign is also included in this total. He was called Grypus, which means “hook- nosed”, and Philometor. However, he ceded power to the aforementioned Antiochus Cyzicenus — who was his half-brother by the same mother as well as his nephew on his father's side — who attacked him. Thus Grypus gave up his kingdom and took refuge in Aspendus. Thus he was called Aspendius, as well as Grypus and Philometor. Antiochus Cyzicenus began to rule in the first year of the 167th Olympiad [112 BCE], after Antiochus [ Grypus ] fled to Aspendus. But in the second year of the same Olympiad [111 BCE], Antiochus returned from Aspendus, and seized Syria, while Cyzicenus ruled in another part [ Coele Syria ]. After the kingdom had been split between them in this way, Grypus remained as king until the fourth year of the 170th Olympiad [97 BCE]. He lived for an additional 15 years after his return, so that his reign lasted for a total of 26 years: 11 years on his own, and 15 years after the kingdom had been divided Cyzicenus ruled from the first year of the 167th Olympiad [112 BCE], and died in the first year of the 171st Olympiad [96 BCE], after reigning for 18 years and living for a total of 50 years. Here is how he died. After Antiochus Grypus died at the time which was stated above, his son Seleucus circulated around with an army and seized many cities. Antiochus Cyzicenus brought an army from Antioch, but was defeated in battle. Now his horse carried him into the midst of the enemy. When they were about to capture him, he drew his sword and committed suicide. Thus Seleucus gained control of the entire kingdom, and captured Antioch.

  8. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:98

    § 98 But the surviving son of Cyzicenus began a war [against Seleucus ]. When their armies clashed at the city called Mopsuestia in Cilicia, Antiochus was the victor. Seleucus fled into the city, but when he realized that the inhabitants had recognized him and were planning to burn him alive, he quickly commited suicide. His two brothers Antiochus and Philippus who were called the twins [Didymi], appeared with an army and captured the city by force. They then destroyed the city to avenge their brother's death. But then the son of Cyzicenus came and defeated them in a battle. While fleeing from the battle Antiochus, Seleucus' brother, rode his horse carelessly and fell into the Orontes River, where he was caught by the current and perished. Then two others began dueling for the kingdom: Philippus, the brother of Seleucus and son of Antiochus Grypus, and Antiochus, the son of Antiochus Cyzicenus. Beginning in the third year of the 171st Olympiad [94 BCE], they fought against each other for control of Syria with select armies, each controlling part of the country. Antiochus was defeated and fled to the Parthians. Later he surrendered to Pompey, hoping to get Syria back. But Pompey, who had received a gift of money from the inhabitants of Antioch, did nothing for Antiochus and allowed to city to be autonomous. Then the inhabitants of Alexandria sent Menelaus and Lampon and Callimander to ask Antiochus to come and rule in Egypt together with the daughters of Ptolemy, after Ptolemy Dionysus had been driven out of Alexandria. But Antiochus fell ill, and died. Philippus whom we mentioned before, the son of Grypus and of Tryphaena the daughter of Ptolemy VIII, was also deposed. He wanted to go to Egypt, because he too had been invited by the inhabitants of Alexandria to rule there, but Gabinius, an officer of Pompeius who was the Roman governor of Syria, prevented this. Thus the royal dynasty in Syria came to an end with Antiochus and Philippus.

  9. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:99

    § 99 These are the Kings of Asia and Syria. 1. Antigonus was king of Asia, 18 years. 2. Demetrius Poliorcetes, king of Syria and the east, 17 years. 3. Seleucus Nicator [or “ Nicanor ”], 32 years. 4. Antiochus Soter, 19 years. 5. Antiochus Theos, 15 years. 6. Seleucus Callinicus, 21 years. 7. Seleucus Ceraunus, 3 years. 8. Antiochus the Great, 36 years. 9. Seleucus [Philopator], 12 years. 10. Antiochus Epiphanes, 11 years. 11. Antiochus [Eupator] his son, 1 year and 6 months. 12. Demetrius Soter, 12 years. 13. Alexander, 15 years. 14. Demetrius the son of Demetrius, 3 years. 15. Antiochus Sidetes, 9 years. 16. Demetrius again, 4 years. 17. Antiochus Grypus, 26 years. 18. Antiochus Cyzicenus, 17 years. 19. Philippus the son of Grypus [2 years]. And with the latter the rule of the kings of Syria ended.

  10. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:100

    § 100 The Romans [We shall now present information about] the kings of the Romans, beginning with Romulus [and about the Romans'] consuls and emperors from Julius Caesar to our own time, based on all the historical sources which we have thus far relied upon. [These sources are:] Alexander Polyhistor, Abydenus, who wrote books about the Assyrians and Medes, the three books of Manetho, about the history of Egypt, Cephalion's nine books of the Muses, the forty books of Diodorus' [Historical] Library, containing a summary of events to [the time of] Gaius Caesar, the eighteen books of Cassius Longinus, containing a summary of 228 Olympiads, the fourteen books of Phlegon, the freedman of [ Hadrianus ] Caesar, containing a summary of 229 Olympiads, the six books of Castor, containing an account of history from Ninus to the 181st Olympiad, the three books of Thallus, containing an account of events from the capture of Troy until the 167th Olympiad [112 BCE], [the writings of] Porphyrius, the philosopher who is our contemporary [containing events] from the capture of Troy until the reign of Claudius.

  11. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:101

    § 101 The Chronology of the Romans. Let us now present the chronology of the kings of the Romans. Their rulers first took the title [of king] in the seventh Olympiad [752-749 BCE], when Romulus founded the city of the Romans, and gave his name to the city, and to all the people who were ruled by its kings. Before this time they had been called sometimes Latins, and sometimes Aborigines, having different names at different times. Aeneas the son of Anchises, and his successors ruled over [these folk] after the fall of Troy and prior to the foundation of the city. The history of these kings has been related by many different writers, not only native Romans but also Greeks. It will be sufficient to quote just two of them, as reliable witnesses to the events which we are considering. First I will quote Dionysius [of Halicarnassus, d. ca. 7 BCE], who provides a summary of the history of the Romans. In addition to books, he wrote an Ancient History of the Romans. In the first book, he gives an account of Aeneas and the kings after him following the capture of Troy. I shall now summarize the relevant portions from Book One [1.9] which concern the matter at hand. The History of the Romans from Book One of Dionysius of Halicarnassus. From this city, which the Romans now inhabit, the whole earth and sea is ruled. Its earliest inhabitants, it is said, were a native people, the barbarian Sicels. No one knows for sure what the condition of the place was before [the Sicels ], whether it was occupied by others or uninhabited. But some time later the Aborigines gained possession of it, after a long war with its inhabitants. These people had previously lived on the mountains in unwalled villages scattered around here and there. They say that after them, the Pelasgians and some of the Greeks took the country. At first they were called Aborigines; but under Latinus, their king, who reigned at the time of the Trojan War, they began to be called Latins. Sixteen generations later, Romulus founded the city, and expanded it, and brought great prosperity to it. Subsequently returning to the topic, Dionysius [1.10] adds: Some claim that the Aborigines, from whom the Romans are originally descended, were natives of Italy, a people which came into being spontaneously (Italy I designate as the entire peninsula which is bounded by the Ionian Gulf and the Tyrrhenian Sea and by the region where the Latins live). The Aborigines were called “clan heads” or “ancestors”. Others claim that they were called nomads/wanderers, coming together out of many places. Still others relate that they were foreigners who came there from Libya. But some of the Roman historians say that they were Greeks, who once inhabited Achaea, and that some of them migrated there many generations before the Trojan War. [ Dionysius ] adds:

  12. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:102

    § 102 It is doubtful that this is accurate. In my opinion, the Aborigines belong to the same people now called Arcadians. They were the first Greeks to cross the Ionian Sea and to settle in Italy. They were led there by Lycaon's son Oenotrus, the fifth from Aezeius and Phoroneus, seventeen generations before the Trojan War. Oenotrus settled in the mountains, and called the region Oenotria, and its inhabitants Oenotrians. Later they were called Italians after king Italus, who also gave the name of Italy to the whole country. Italus was succeeded by Morges, from whose name they were called Morgetes. And at the same time as Oenotrus, his brother Peucetius came as a colonist from Arcadia, and settled by the Junian bay, and the people were called Peucetii after him. All this is [ Dionysius'] speculation. Then he writes: The Pelasgians left Greece and came and settled in the Italian areas among the Aborigines. The Pelasgians were also called Tyrrheni [Etruscans] and the entire land was called Tyrrhenia, after one of their rulers, who was called Tyrrhenus. Later, Euander arrived with a fleet from Greece, from the city of Pallantium in Arcadia, and he settled in the region of Italy where the city of Rome would later be built. [ Dionysius ] says that they brought the Greek alphabet to Italy, along with the lyre, a musical instrument, and that they introduced [their] laws. Subsequently Heracles arrived with another Greek fleet and settled in the same area. At first, he was called Saturnius, and from his name the whole region was called Saturnia. Heracles had a son named Latinus, and he too ruled over the land of the Aborigines. [These people] were called Latins after him. When Latinus died without any sons, Aeneas the son of Anchises succeeded him as king. Later [ Dionysius ] summarizes all of this as follows [DionHal 1.60]: The Romans derived from the people who congregated there and mingled with the native population of the land. They were: first, the Aborigines, who expelled the Sicels from the area. [The Aborigines ] were Greeks, originally from the Peloponnese, who came as colonists with Oenotrus, from the region which is now called Arcadia, I believe. The second [group of colonists], the Thessalians, migrated there from the country which used to be called Haemonia, and is now called Thessaly. The third [group], the Pelasgians, arrived with Euander from the city of Pallantium in Arcadia. Then another group arrived, who were part of the Peloponnesian army commanded by Heracles. Finally the Trojans who escaped with Aeneas from Ilium, Dardanus and the other Trojan cities [came to Italy ].

  13. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:103

    § 103 From the same book, concerning when Aeneas arrived in Italy. [ Dionysius 1.63] says: Ilium was captured at the end of the summer, seventeen days before the winter solstice, in the month of Elaphebolion, according to the calendar of the Athenians. There still remained five days after the solstice before the end of that year. I believe that the Achaeans spent the thirty-seven days that followed the taking of the city regulating the affairs of the city, receiving embassies from those who had withdrawn themselves, and creating a treaty with them. The next year, the first after capturing the city, the Trojans set sail after the autumnal equinox, crossed the Hellespont, and landed in Thrace. They spent the winter there with others who had fled with them, and prepared for their next voyage. When spring arrived, they took ship and sailed from Thrace. They reached Sicily at the end of that year, and passed the winter there living mixed in with the Elymians in their cities. Now as soon as it was possible to sail, they left the island [of Sicily ], crossed the Tyrrhenian Sea, and arrived at Laurentum on the coast of the Aborigines in the middle of the summer. After capturing the region, they founded Lavinium. Thus ended the second year from the taking of Troy. I have explained these matters as they seem to me. Next, Aeneas ornamented many sites with temples and other structures which exist to my own day. The following year, the third since the departure from Troy, he ruled as king over Trojans only. However, in the fourth year, after Latinus died, [ Aeneas ] took over his kingdom as well. This was due to family ties through marriage and the inheritance through Lavinia, after Latinus' death. A bit later [ Dionysius ] adds that in a fierce battle over these [?] matters, Latinus, Turnus, and many others had died. Nonetheless Aeneas those with him triumphed. Aeneas took power due to his marriage ties. But after ruling as king for three years after the death of Latinus he lost his life in battle, in the fourth year. Shortly after this [ Dionysius ] writes: Aeneas died some the seven years after the taking of Troy. Euryleon, who had been renamed Ascanius during the escape [from Troy ], took over rule of the Latin state. Then [ Dionysius ] adds [DionHal 1.70]: After the death of the Ascanius in the thirty- eighth year of his reign, his brother Silvius took over the kingship. He was had been born of Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus, after Aeneas' death.

  14. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:104

    § 104 Then [ Dionysius ] adds: Silvius, after holding the sovereignty twenty-nine years, was succeeded by Aeneas, his son, who reigned one less than thirty years. After him, Latinus reigned fifty-one, then Alba, thirty-nine; after Alba, Capetus reigned twenty-six, then Capys twenty-eight, and after Capys, Capetus held the rule for thirteen years. Then Tiberinus reigned for a period of eight years. This king, it is said, perished in a battle that was fought by a river. After being thrown by his horse into the stream, the river, which had previously been called the Albula, came to be called after his name. Tiberinus' successor, Agrippa, reigned forty-one years. After Agrippa the tyrant Amulius, who was loathed by the gods, reigned nineteen years. Disrespecting divine powers, he had created imitations of lightning and sounds resembling thunder, with which he hoped to terrify people into thinking that he was a god. But rain and lightning descended upon his house. The house was next to a lake which swelled to an unaccustomed level, so that [ Amulius ] drowned with his entire household. To the present, in fact, when that lake is clear in a certain part, which happens whenever the level drops and the depths are undisturbed, the ruins of porticoes and other traces of a house can be seen. [ Amulius ] was succeeded by Aventius, after whom was named one of the seven hills that are joined to make the city of Rome, and he reigned thirty-seven years. He was followed by Procas for twenty-eight years. Then Numitor, [ Amulius'] elder brother, having been unjustly deprived of the kingdom by Amulius, reigned forty-two years. When Amulius had been slain by Romulus and Remus, the sons of a noble maiden, as shall presently be related, Numitor, the maternal grandfather of the youths, after his brother's death resumed the sovereignty which by law belonged to him. In the next year of Numitor's reign, which was the three hundred and thirty-second after the taking of Troy, the Albans sent out a colony, under the leadership of Romulus and Remus, and founded Rome, in that year, which was the seventh Olympiad, when Daicles of Messene was victor in the foot race [752 BCE], and at Athens Charops was in the first year of his ten-year term as archon. The same writer adds yet more [information] when relating the different accounts of the history of the city of Rome [DionHal 1.72].

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    § 105 Regarding the Construction of the City of Rome. There are many problems concerning the construction of the city, its time and founders. In my opinion none of them [the previous accounts] is accurate. Thus, because [the details] are not universally agreed on, we shall present a brief review. Cephalon of Gergis, a very ancient writer, says that the city was built in the second generation after the Trojan War by those who had escaped from Troy with Aeneas. [ Cephalon ] names Romus as its founder. [Romus] had been leader of the colony and one of Aeneas' sons. He says that Aeneas had four sons, Ascanius, Euryleon, Romulus and Remus. Demagoras, Agathymus and many other [authors] agree with [ Cephalon ] regarding both the time and the leader of the colony. But the author of the history of the priestesses at Argos and of what happened in the days of each of them says that Aeneas came into Italy from the land of the Molossians with Odysseus and became the founder of the city, which he named Rome — after one of the Trojan women. He says that this woman stirred up the other citizens (or women) and together with them set fire to the ships, since they had grown weary of wandering. Damastes of Sigeum and some others agree with this [account]. But Aristotle, the philosopher, relates that some of the Achaeans were overtaken by a violent storm while they were navigating Cape Malea on their return from Troy. Since they were driven out of their course by the winds, they wandered over many parts of the sea finally arriving at this place in the land of the Opicans which is called Latium, by the Tyrrhenian sea. Being pleased with the sight of land, they hauled up their ships, and passed the winter there. They were preparing to sail at the beginning of spring, but their ships were set ablaze one night. Thus they could not depart and were, unwillingly, forced to live in the land where they had landed. He says this was effected by the captive women they were carrying with them from Troy. They burned the ships because they feared that the Achaeans in returning home would make slaves out of them. Callias, who wrote about the deeds of Agathocles, says that one of the Trojan women who came into Italy with the other Trojans, [who was named] Rome, married Latinus, the king of the Aborigines. She bore him two sons, Romus and Romulus, who built a city, and named it after their mother. Xenagoras, the historian, wrote that Odysseus and Circe had three sons, Romus, Antias and Ardeias, who built three cities and named them after themselves. Dionysius of Chalcis names Romus as the founder of the city, but says that according to some this man was the son of Ascanius, and according to others the son of Emathion. Now there are also other [writers] who claim that Rome was built by Romus, the son of Italus and Leuce, the daughter of Latinus, while many other Greek historians describe different founders for the city. But so that I will not be considered wordy, let me come to the Roman historians. The Romans lack even one historian or chronicler who can be considered ancient. But each of their historians has taken something out of ancient accounts that are preserved on tablets in their temples. Some of these say that Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were the sons of Aeneas. According to others they were the sons of a daughter of Aeneas, without mentioning who their father was. Some say that they were presented as hostages by Aeneas to Latinus, the king of the Aborigines, when the treaty was made between the inhabitants and the immigrants. [According to this version], Latinus gave them a friendly welcome and not only looked after them carefully, but, upon dying without a male heir, willed part of his kingdom to them.

  16. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:106

    § 106 Others say that after the death of Aeneas Ascanius, having succeeded to the entire kingdom of Latinus, divided both the country and the forces of the Latins into three parts, two of which he gave to his brothers, Romulus and Remus. He himself, they say, built Alba and some other towns. Remus built cities which he named Capua, after Capys, his great- grandfather, Anchisa, after his grandfather Anchises, Aeneia (which was afterwards called Janiculum ), after his father, and Rome, after himself. This city was for some time deserted (or ruined), but upon the arrival of another colony, which the Albans sent out under the leadership of Romulus and Remus, Rome again flourished. Thus there were two settlements of Rome, one shortly after the Trojan War, and the other fifteen generations after the first. And if anyone wants to look more carefully into the distant past, even a third foundation of Rome will be found. This [foundation] occurred before Aeneias and the Trojans came into Italy. This is related by Antiochus of Syracuse, whom I have mentioned before, hardly a commonplace historian. He says that when Morges reigned in the land of the Latins — which then included all of Italy from Tarentum to the coast of Poseidonia — a man came to him who had fled from Rome. His words are: “When Italus was growing old, Morges reigned. In his reign there came a man from Rome named Sicelus.” Thus according to the Syracusan author, an ancient Rome existed even before the Trojan War. However he left it unsaid whether [ Rome ] was situated in the same region that the present city stands or whether some other place happened to be called by this name. Consequently I, too, cannot say for sure. I believe that enough has been said about the ancient foundations [of the city of Rome ]. As regards the last settlement or founding of the city, or whatever it should be styled, Timaeus of Sicily, based on some unknown calculation, places it at the same time as the founding of Carthage, that is, in the thirty-eighth year before the first Olympiad [814 BCE]. Lucius Cincius, a member of the senate, places it about the fourth year of the twelfth Olympiad [729 BCE]. Quintus Fabius places it in the first year of the eighth Olympiad [748 BCE]. Porcius Cato does not give the date according to Greek reckoning, but being as careful as any [historian] in gathering material about ancient history, he places [ Rome's] foundation four hundred and thirty-two years after the Trojan War; and this date, when compared with the Chronicles of Eratosthenes, corresponds to the first year of the seventh Olympiad [752 BCE]. In another work I have demonstrated the reliability of the canons of Eratosthenes. In that same work I have also shown how to synchronize Roman and Greek chronology. Dionysius, in the first book of his Ancient History of Rome, describes all the events which transpired following the capture of Troy in this order: the escape of Aeneias from Troy, and his arrival in Italy; his descendants and successors, who were kings of the Latins, until the time of Romulus and the foundation of Rome; the various accounts of the ancient [historians] about the foundation of the city of Rome. However, some say that Picus the son of Cronus was the first king in the territory of Laurentium, where Rome is now situated, and that he reigned for 37 years. After him Faunus the son of Picus [ruled] for 44 years. In his reign, Heracles traveled from Spain and erected an altar in the Forum Boarium, to commemorate his killing of Cacus, Vulcanus' son. Then Latinus was king for 36 years. The Latins were named after him. Troy was captured in the 33rd year of his reign. Then Aeneas fought against the Rutuli, and killed Turnus. He married Lavinia, Latinus' daughter, and founded the city of Lavinium. After this he was king for 3 years. This summarizes what we have found in the books of other writers.

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    § 107 Let us continue with yet another author, namely Diodorus [Siculus], who produced in one collection a complete repository of [historical] writing. [ Diodorus ] recorded the history of the Romans in his seventh book, as follows. On the Ancient History of the Romans, from the Seventh Book of Diodorus. Some historians have incorrectly suggested that Romulus [and Remus ], who founded the city of Rome, were the sons of the daughter of Aeneas. But this is not the case, for a lengthy period intervened between Aeneas and Romulus [filled with] many kings. Rome was founded in the second year of the 7th Olympiad [751 BCE], which was 433 years after the Trojan War. Aeneas became king of the Latins three years after the capture of Troy. He ruled for three years and then vanished from sight, to be honoured [thereafter] as an immortal. He was succeeded as king by his son Ascanius, who founded the city today called [ Alba ] Longa. It was named after the river which was then called Alba, but is now called Tiber. Now the historian Fabius, who wrote about things Roman, tells a different tale about the name of this city. He says that it was foretold to Aeneas, that a four-footed animal would lead him to the place where he would must build a city. When he was preparing to sacrifice a pregnant white sow, the sow escaped from his grasp and was chased up a hill, where she gave birth to thirty piglets. Aeneas was astounded by this, and being desirous of fulfilling the prophecy, he commenced building on that site. But he was warned in a dream, that he should not found the city until thirty years had passed, the same number as the piglets which were born to the sow. And so he abandoned his plan. After the death of Aeneas, his son Ascanius became king and after thirty years he founded a settlement on the hill, which he called Alba, after the colour of the sow; for the Latin word for'white' is alba. [ Ascanius ] also added another name, Longa, which translates'long', because the city was narrow in width and of great length. [ Diodorus ] adds that Ascanius made Alba the capital of his kingdom and conquered no small number of the inhabitants round about. [ Ascanius ] became a noteworthy man and died after a ruling for thirty-eight years. After his death, there arose a division among the masses, since two men who were contending with each other for the kingship. Julius claimed that since he was Ascanius' son, his father's kingdom belonged to him. But Silvius, the brother of Ascanius and, furthermore, a son of Aeneas by his first wife, who was a Trojan woman, maintained that the kingdom belonged to him. Now it happened that after the death of Aeneas, Ascanius had plotted against the life of Silvius. It was while the child [ Silvius ] was being reared by some herdsmen on a mountain, to avoid this plot, that he came to be called Silvius, after the name of that mountain, which the Latins call Silva. After a struggle between the two sides, Silvius finally took the throne with the support of the people. Julius, though he did not take power, was established as supreme priest (pontifex maximus) thereby becoming like a second king. They say that the Julian family, which survives in Rome even to this day, descends from him.

  18. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:108

    § 108 During his reign, Silvius achieved nothing worthy record, and died after ruling for 49 years. He was succeeded as king by his son Aeneas Silvius, who ruled for more than 30 years. He was a strong ruler, in government and in war. He subdued the neighbouring regions, and founded the eighteen cities known as the oldest of the Latins. They are: Tibur, Praeneste, Gabii, Tusculum, Cora, Cometia, Lanuvium, Labicum, Scaptia, Satricum, Aricia, Tellenae, Crustumerium, Caenina, Fregellae, Cameria, Medullia, and Boilum. Some call this Bola. When Latinus died, his son Albas Silvius was selected as king. He ruled for 38 years. The next king was Epitus Silvius, for 26 years. When his death Capis succeeded as king, ruling for 28 years. His son Calpetus was the next king, ruling for 13 years. Then Tiberius Silvius ruling for 8 years. [ Tiberius ] went off to fight against the Etruscans with an army, but while he was crossing the river Alba he fell into a whirlpool and died. As a result, the name of the river was changed to Tiber. After his death Agrippa became king of the Latins, for 41 years. The next king was Arramulius Silvius, who reigned for 19 years. It is related that Arramulius was arrogant throughout his life, and became so proud that he claimed to rival the power of Aramazd ( Zeus / Jupiter ). When there was steady and severe thunder during the heat [of autumn], he ordered all the men in his army at a given command to strike their swords against their shields, supposing that by this noise he could surpass even thunder. Consequently the gods exacted vengeance and killed him with a bolt of lightning and submerged his house in the Alban lake. The Romans who live near the lake today still point out some columns which can be seen deep beneath the surface of the water, which are the remains of the royal palace under the lake. Aventius, who was chosen to be the next king, ruled for 37 years. During a battle against the people who lived around the city, he was trapped in a narrow space and killed near a hill, which was named the Aventine hill after him. After he died, his son Procas Silvius was appointed to be the next king, and he ruled for 23 years. After his death, his younger son Amulius forcibly seized power, because his elder brother Numitor was in a foreign country. Amulius reigned for a little over 43 years, and was killed by Remus and Romulus, who founded the city of Rome.

  19. urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2018.tlg040:109

    § 109 Here is a Listing of the Roman Kings. Aeneias became king of the Latins, in the fourth year after the capture of Troy, 3 years. Ascanius, 38 years. Silvius, the son of Aeneias, 28 years. Aeneias Silvius, 31 years. Latinus Silvius, 50 years. Albas Silvius, 39 years. Epitus Silvius, 26 years. Capis Silvius, 28 years. Calpetus Silvas, 13 years. Tiberius Silvius, 8 years. Agrippa Silvius, 35 years. [Arramulius Silvius, 19 years]. [Aventius, 37 years]. Procas Silvius, 23 years. Amulius Silvius, 42 years. Romulus founded Rome and became king in the seventh Olympiad [752-749 BCE]. From Aeneas up until Romulus, 427 years elapsed. From the capture of Troy [up until Romulus ], 431 years elapsed. Kings Beginning with Romulus, Founder of Rome. Romulus, 38 years. Numa Pompilius, 41 years. Tullus Hostilius, 33 years. Ancius Marcus, 33 years. Tarquinius, 37 years. Servilius, 44 years. Tarquinius Superbus, 24 years. There were seven kings of the Romans, starting with Romulus, and [the kingship] ceased after a period of 244 years. From the capture of Troy until Romulus, 431 years elapsed. Altogether 675 years elapsed. Dionysius of Halicarnassus gives a brief account of the dates of these kings, from Romulus to Tarquinius, around the time of the first Olympiad, as follows [1.75].

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    § 110 Dionysius of Halicarnassus Regarding the Kings in Rome after Romulus. From Romulus, first ruler of the city, to the time of the expulsion of the kings two hundred and forty-four years elapsed. This is known both from the order of the kings' succession and the number of years each of them ruled. Following Romulus' death the city was kingless for one year. Then Numa Pompilius, who was chosen by the army, reigned for forty-three years. After Numa, Tullus Hostilius ruled for thirty-three years. Ancus Marcius, his successor, ruled for twenty-four years. He was followed by Lucius Tarquinius, called Priscus, for thirty-eight years. Servius Tullius succeeded him, reigning for forty-four years. The murderer of Servius, the tyrant Lucius Tarquinius, extended his reign to the twenty-fifth year. Because of his contempt of justice, he was called Superbus. Romulus, the first ruler of the city, must have begun to rule in the first year of the seventh Olympiad [752 BCE], when Charops at Athens was in the first year of his ten-year term as archon. [We calculate this] because the reigns of the kings amount to two hundred and forty-four years or sixty-one Olympiads. Thus the count of the [monarchs'] years requires this [determination of the placing of Romulus' rule]; and the number of years that each king reigned is known from writings. Such is the account given by those who lived before me and adopted by me concerning the time of the settlement of the city which now rules supreme. This is Dionysius' account. Now after the death of Tarquinius and the collapse of unified [royal] rule, the Romans no longer had kings. Instead, they appointed consuls [starting with] Brutus; then [they appointed] tribunes of the plebs; then dictators, who were orators; and then consuls again. I think it would be superfluous to list the magistrates of each year here, because there would be a huge mass of names. Moreover, if I described their achievements in detail, my account would become greatly enlarged and stray from its intended purpose. Consequently I think it is appropriate to leave these magistrates, and everything connected with them, to another chronicle: that is, the consuls who followed Tarquinius, the tribunes of the plebs and the dictators who governed the city of Rome during the years preceding the advent of Caesar. After these remarks, we will return to the reign of the first emperor. From the death of Tarquinius until the time of Julius Caesar, 115 Olympiads — the equivalent of 460 years — elapsed. Tarquinius died at the end of the 67th Olympiad [509 BCE]. Caesar became emperor at the start of the 183rd Olympiad [48 BCE]. Between these [two termini] an interval of 460 years exists. From the 7th Olympiad [752 BCE], when the city of Rome was founded, [until the death of Tarquinius ] 244 years elapsed. Thus, a total of 704 years — which is the equivalent of 176 Olympiads — elapsed from the foundation of Rome until the time of Julius Caesar. This [schema] is confirmed by the chronicler Castor who writes as follows in a passage summarizing the [relevant] dates: Castor on the Kingdom of the Romans. We have listed the kings of the Romans one by one, beginning with Aeneas son of Anchises, when he became king of the Latins, and concluding with Amulius Silvius, who was killed by Romulus, the son of his niece Rhea. Now we will add Romulus and the others who ruled Rome after him up until Tarquinius Superbus, for a period of 244 years. After these kings, we will give a separate list of the consuls, starting from Lucius Junius Brutus, and ending with Marcus Valerius Messalla and Marcus Piso, who were consuls when Theophemus was archon at Athens [61 BCE]. Altogether [they ruled] for 460 years. That is what Castor says. Now it is appropriate for us to append a list of the emperors of the Romans, starting from Julius Caesar. We shall mention the consuls for each year, equating [these dates] with the Olympiads.

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Via ToposText (topostext.org), a project of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation created by Brady Kiesling. Translated by Robert Bedrosian (1949- ). Composed ca. 325 CE. Licence: public domain. Source.