Dionysius Halicarnassensis
Dionysius of Halicarnassus
The Greek historian of early Rome
c. 60 BC – after 7 BC
Dionysius was born around 60 BC in Halicarnassus and came to Rome around 30 BC, where he taught rhetoric and wrote his Roman Antiquities — a history of Rome from its origins to the First Punic War, in twenty books. The first eleven survive.
His purpose was to demonstrate to Greek readers that the Romans were not barbarians but descendants of Greeks, and that their history was as worthy of study as Greek history. His account of early Rome preserves much material from lost sources. He was also a distinguished literary critic, and his essays on the style of Thucydides, Lysias, and other orators are still valuable.
Works (13)
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1
Ad Ammaeum history
A letter to Ammaeus on the chronological relationship between Demosthenes and Aristotle.
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2
Antiquitates Romanae history
A history of Rome from its mythological origins to the First Punic War, in twenty books. Dionysius argues that Rome is fundamentally a Greek city. Ele...
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3
De antiquis oratoribus history
A survey of the early Attic orators — their styles, their strengths, and their historical context.
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4
De Compositione Verborum history
On the arrangement of words — how word order creates rhythm, harmony, and emotional effect in prose. Dionysius' most important contribution to literar...
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5
De Demosthene history
A critical assessment of Demosthenes' style — the greatest orator judged by the greatest ancient critic.
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8
De Isocrate history
A critical assessment of Isocrates' style — his periodic sentences and their influence.
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12
Epistula ad Pompeium Geminum history
A letter to Pompeius Geminus on historical and literary criticism.
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13
Libri secundi de antiquis oratoribus reliquiae history
Fragments of a second volume on the ancient orators.