Demetrios of Kallatis

Demetrios of Kallatis ( Greek Δημήτριος Καλλατιανός Dēmḗtrios Kallatianós ) was an ancient Greek historian . He lived in the late 3rd / early 2nd century BC. Chr.

Very little is known about Demetrios, who came from Kallatis on the west coast of the Black Sea. He wrote a historical-geographical work entitled About Asia and Europe in 20 Books, of which only six fragments have survived. The last event mentioned in the fragments is the death of Hieron II of Syracuse in 215/14 BC. This information forms the terminus post quem for the death of Demetrios.

The quality of Demetrios' work was probably quite appealing. It was used by several later authors, including Strabo and Lukian of Samosata . Agatharchides commented favorably on it. In late antiquity , Stephanos of Byzantium also used it. Demetrios seems to have written less universal history than sophisticated geographical descriptions. At Strabo there is a list of earthquakes made by Demetrios, probably as part of the work mentioned. However, exact statements are speculative due to the ruinous condition, especially since it is possible that Demetrios wrote more than one work.

Text output

• The Fragments of the Greek Historians , No. 85 or Brill's New Jacoby (with English translation, commentary and biographical sketch by Johannes Engels ).

literature

• Johannes Engels: Demetrios von Kallatis “About Asia and Europe” (FGrHist 85 F 1-6). Universal history and cultural geography between Ephoros and Strabo . In: Michael Rathmann (Ed.): Studies on ancient historiography (= Antiquitas. Series 1: Treatises on ancient history , Volume 55). Habelt, Bonn 2009, pp. 187ff.
• Eduard Schwartz : Demetrios 77 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2806 f.