La geografía de Asia en el libro II de la Biblioteca Histórica de Diodoro de Sicilia

Abstract

This paper developes the «rhetorical» mode of analysis of Diodorus' work already applied by the authors to the first book of the Biblioteca Histórica (Emerita 61, 1993, pp. 137-157). This time, the varied contents and structure of the second book are also explained in terms of the set of topoi that lay down the greek ethnographical tradition. Diodorus attempts to present the extraordinary complexity of the Asian geography and population in the same coherent way as Egypt was in the first book of the Bibliotheca. In so doing, Diodorus faces the lack of geographical limits and ethnical unity of Asia and provides an coherent image of the continent based on the traditional conception of Asian monarchies and the specialization of the several ethne according to the requirements of the ethnographical topoi.