Eumachus of Naples

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Eumachus of Naples was an ancient Greek historian . He probably lived in the 3rd / 2nd Century BC Chr.

Nothing more is known about Eumachus, who came from Neapolis ( Naples ). He belongs to a group of Greek historians who wrote historical works about the Carthaginian Hannibal and who were scolded by Polybios (with Polybios, namely Sosylos and Chaireas ).

Only two short fragments have survived from the work of Eumachus. The first fragment is handed down in the work of Athenaeus and comes from the second book of the "Hannibal history" of Eumachos. There a scandalous story of the Sicilian tyrant Hieronymos is reported, who died in 215/14 BC. Ruled in Syracuse . In his histories, Polybios criticizes historians who are not mentioned by name and who reported on Jerome. Probably this criticism also applies to Eumachos (and Baton from Sinope ).

A certain Eumachos is also mentioned in the Book of Miracles of Phlegon of Tralleis . There it is described how the Carthaginians dug a trench and found two huge weathered skeletons. However, it is not certain that the second fragment came from the Hannibal historian, although this is generally assumed. In this case it is unclear whether the passage comes from his "Hannibal story" or, as the title suggests Phlegons ( Perihegesis ), from another, more geographically-historical work.

Text output

  • Duane W. Roller: Eumachos of Neapolis (178). In: Brill's New Jacoby (text, English translation and commentary).

Remarks

  1. ↑ Polybios, Historiai 3.20.
  2. ↑ Athenaios, Deipnosophistai 13:37.
  3. ↑ Polybios, Historiai 7.7.
  4. ↑ See also Klaus Meister : Historical criticism in Polybios. Wiesbaden 1975, pp. 161, 190.
  5. ^ Phlegon, De mirabilibus 18.
  6. ↑ Similar sensational reports on grave finds can be found in Herodotus (1.67f.); see. Duane W. Roller: Eumachos of Neapolis (178). In: Brill's New Jacoby , Fragment 2, Commentary .
  7. ^ Duane W. Roller: Eumachos of Neapolis (178). Biographical essay. In: Brill's New Jacoby .
personal data
SURNAME Eumachos
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Eumachus neapolitanus, Eumachus Historicus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Greek historian
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century BC BC or 2nd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 2nd century BC Chr.