Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

viiiPREFACE.diary of Eumenes, his secretary, which he appears to havehad at hand.Next to Arrian's history comes that of Quintus Curtius,who wrote in the first century. Of ten books, the eight lastare extant. This work is far behind Arrian's in credibility.Curtius is somewhat of a romancer, though he gives localcolor, and occasionally supplies a fact missing in Arrian.But he is neither clear nor consistent. He draws his factslargely from Clitarchus, a contemporary of Alexander.Plutarch (50 to 130 a. d.) is always interesting, and hisshort life of Alexander is just and helpful. Many strayfacts can be gleaned in the other Lives.Diodorus Siculus, a contemporary of Csesar and Augustus,in his Historical Library, gives us many items of worth.Out of his forty books, only fifteen have survived. Diodorusis suggestive, but must be construed in the light of otherworks.Justinus, a Roman historian who lived in the second orthird century A. D., wrote a History of Macedonia. Thisranks with Diodorus in usefulness.The chapters relating toPhilip and Alexander supply some gaps, and give an occasionalglimpse into the character of these monarchs, lackingelsewhere. But one cannot rely on Justin unsupported.Strabo's Geography (first century) contains material whichekes out what we glean elsewhere, and there are in many ofthe old authors — Dionysius, Livy, Josephus, Frontinus, Ammian,and others — frequent references to Alexander whichcan be drawn from. Vegetius' De re militari is somewhatmixed, but very valuable. Onosander's Strategos can be putto use in explaining tactical manoeuvres.Polybius, one of the most valuable of all our ancientsources of information, military and political, in his UniversalHistory, strays off to Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt, 'and