Author Description

This is a history that looks at the reign of the tyrant Agathocles of Syracuse. From the intro: "Historical authority is of two kinds, literary and material. For the life of Agathocles the chief extant writers are Diodorus Siculus, Justin, and Polyaenus; and it will make easier a true understanding of the history about to be narrated, if a short account of these writers be presented, with such facts as can be discovered as to the original sources from which they drew. Considering the importance of Agathocles' reign, there is a remarkable dearth of material remains. No building, graven stone, or bust is left to commemorate him. Of his coins indeed a long and valuable series has come down. These have been ably discussed by expert writers, and the subject forms no part of the plan of the present work. One important, but, as it happens, rather puzzling document remains to be mentioned. This is the new fragment of the so-called Parian Marble, lately found on the island, and published in 1897, This inscription gives a system of Greek chronology from the death of Philip II to the year 299. The system itself reached down to 264."