World Canonical Texts
There are quite some new editions of ancient histories published in the last 15 years or so.
From Oxford Classics, Robin Waterfield has published:
- Herodotus (mid-6th c. till 479BC, founding of Persian Empire till the 2nd Persian War), (published 1998, reissue 2008)
- Xenophon's The Expedition of Cyrus (published 2009)
- Diodorus Siculus Books 16-20 (cover 360-302BC the rise of Philip II of Macedon thru to Alexander's successors) (published 2019)
- Polybius Books 1-5 (covering 264-216BC, First Punic war background and beginning of Second Punic War); Books 6, 12 are substantial fragments (on Roman government and Polybius' comments on history writing) (published 2010)
- Cassius Dio Books 36-40 (covering 69-50BC, part of Roman Republic's civil war) (published 2024)
Oxford also published (not by Waterfield) Arrian's Anabasis and Indica in 2013
Oxford Classics also issued new translations of Livy's extant books:
- Books I-V (published 2009)
- Books VI-X (published 2013)
- Books XXI-XXX (published 2009)
- Books XXXI-XL (published 2009)
- Books XLI-XLV, and Periochae (published 2010)
Oxford Classics also published Tactitus' works in 3 books between 2008-2009
Loeb Classic Library is also issuing new / revised translations:
- Polybius (2010-2012)
- Appian (2019-2020)
- Will be publishing Velleius Paterculus in 2025
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As I am looking at what the extant books of ancient historians cover, I do find that it seems that the book retention ("canon selection"?) process makes most period "single-sourced" from the perspectives of coverage by "universal histories".
Some examples:
- Herodotus ends in the 2nd Persian Wars; it also happens that Didorus Siculus' extant books (with years marked) starts is from XI-XX (covering 480BC-302BC), the starting point just almost overlapping with end of Herodotus
- Polybius' focus should be on the Second Punic War (30 books), followed by the 3rd Punic War (last 10 books), theme being Rome's rise to prominence in the Mediterranean. But since Livy is preserved for that period (Book 21-45 is extant, Book 21 starts around 219BC at the beginning of the Second Punic War), Polybius is only preserved only for Books 1-5, which gives the background 1st Punic War background in Books 1-2 (from 264BC), and Book 5 ends on just the first years of the Second Punic War.
- But Livy Book 45 ends in about 167BC, which surprisingly also does not fully cover till the end of the 3rd Punic War when Carthage is destroyed, and also when Rome finally and totally subdued Greece. But then, the minor author Velleius Paterculus, who wrote 2 books on Roman History from beginning of Rome till the early Empire, his work is extant from the later part of Book 1, which starts ... on 168BC. Almost seemingly preserved to patch up with what is lost in Livy.
- Velleius is only preserved in 1 manuscript, so this can be just a coincidence. I do think for the "tradition", what is supposed to follow Livy is Appian. His 24 books have two parts - the Foreign Wars portion, among other parts the African Wars part is extant (so should have covered the 3rd Punic War); and his Civil Wars portion starts from 133BC to 43BC (end of Julius Caesar).
- Not quite exact match is Cassius Dio, whose extant books 36-60 covers 69BC to 47AD. Why 47AD (in the middle of Emperor Claudius)? Oh, because Tacitus Annals was missing Books 7-10, and Tacitus Book 11 starts in year AD47. So in order to have a continuous narrative till you can go back to Tacitus, it is nice to preserve Cassius Dio till AD47!
Even though this sounds like conspiracy theory, I do feel the coincidence is pretty compelling.
In summary, based on what is remaining, to read ancient (Greco-Roman) history in narratives, the following is the "Canonical Guide".
Eastern Branch:
1. Persian Empire and Greece up till the 2nd Persian War - Herodotus (can supplement with Diodorus extant books 1-5)
2. Greece / Macedon / Mediterranean / Roman history from 480BC to 302 BC - Diodorus Siculus Books 11-20 (can be supplemented by Thucydides, Xenophon, Arrian, even Quintus Curtius Rufus)
Roman Branch
3. Parallel to 1-2, for more details on Rome (before its World prominence) - Livy Books 1-10 (founding of Rome in 8th c. BC till 292BC) (can be supplemented by Dionysius of Halicarnassus)
Late Hellenistic Period
4. There is gap of 30-40 years in the early 3rd c. BC - best coverage is long fragments from Diodorus Siculus Books 21-22; Pyrrhic War is probably covered in an extant books in Appian's Foreign Wars.
Roman Ascendence
5. First Punic War till early 2nd Punic War - Polybius books 1-5 (I think 3-5 are preserved so that copyist can extend continuously till book 6)
6. 2nd Punic War (220BC) to 167BC - Livy Books 21-45
Summary Branch
7. 168BC till early Empire - Velleius Paterculus Books 1-2
Detailed Branch
8. Appian - Extant chapters on Foreign Wars; Books 13-17 on Civil Wars covered 133BC-43BC (can be supplemented by Sallust, Caesar)
9. Cassius Dio - Late Republic to early Empire Books 36-60 covering 69BC to 47AD
10 Tacitus - Julio-Claudio Dynastic AD14-around 70 (Annales, Histories)
If I am more motivated, I can probably match the biographies from Nepos, Plutarch and Seutonius also onto this scheme.
Strabo's geography is going to be always a supplement.