Library of History, Book II
c. 60–30 BC
Book II of Diodorus’s Library: Ninus, Semiramis, and the Assyrian empire (chiefly from Ctesias), with related Median and Chaldaean material.
Translated by C. H. Oldfather
English translation by C. H. Oldfather, Loeb Classical Library (1933). Public domain. Digital text via Bill Thayer / LacusCurtius (University of Chicago).
Contents
- 1. Chapter 1: Ninus, the first king in Asia
- 2. Chapter 2: Ninus’s campaigns
- 3. Chapter 3: Founding of Nineveh
- 4. Chapter 4: Birth and rise of Semiramis
- 5. Chapter 5: Semiramis and the Bactrian war
- 6. Chapter 6: Ninus marries Semiramis
- 7. Chapter 7: Semiramis succeeds Ninus; founding of Babylon
- 8. Chapter 8: Building of Babylon continued
- 9. Chapter 9: Walls and temples of Babylon
- 10. Chapter 10: The hanging garden and wonders of Babylonia
- 11. Chapter 11: Lake and other works
- 12. Chapter 12: Further works in Media and elsewhere
- 13. Chapter 13: Ecbatana and other foundations
- 14. Chapter 14: Campaign against Egypt and Ethiopia
- 15. Chapter 15: Campaign against India begun
- 16. Chapter 16: Indian campaign continued
- 17. Chapter 17: Indian campaign continued
- 18. Chapter 18: Indian campaign continued
- 19. Chapter 19: Defeat in India
- 20. Chapter 20: Death of Semiramis; Ninyas
- 21. Chapter 21: Later kings; luxury of the court
- 22. Chapter 22: Sardanapallus introduced
- 23. Chapter 23: Fall of Sardanapallus
- 24. Chapter 24: Arbaces and Belesys
- 25. Chapter 25: End of the Assyrian empire
- 26. Chapter 26: Duration of the Assyrian empire
- 27. Chapter 27: Median affairs
- 28. Chapter 28: Arbaces as king
- 29. Chapter 29: The Chaldaeans and the stars
- 30. Chapter 30: Chaldaean learning
- 31. Chapter 31: Further on Chaldaeans
- 32. Chapter 32: Kings of Media; disagreement of historians
- 33. Chapter 33: Median kings continued
- 34. Chapter 34: Close of the Median account