Primary Source LI: An Excerpt from Diodorus Siculus

Diodorus Siculus was a 1st-century BCE Greek historian from Agyrium in Sicily who wrote during the late Roman Republic. His most famous work, the Bibliotheca historica ("Historical Library"), is a massive universal history in 40 books that aimed to chronicle the world’s history from mythological times to his own era. In this excerpt, we hear of Cimon, a well-known Athenian general from the 5th century BCE, who helped expand Athens’ power in the eastern Mediterranean. His connection to Cyprus comes from his final campaign in 450 BCE, when he led an expedition to free the island from Persian control. He died during the siege of Citium (now Larnaca), but his forces later won a naval battle near Salamis, Cyprus, before returning home. In my next episode, I welcome back Dr. Christian Korner Dr. Christian Körner to discuss Cyprus in the 5th century!