Given Diodorus’ annalistic system, the narrative of every extended sequence of events is bound to be broken up into as many parts as there were years in which the events took place. Diodorus himself points out this weakness in the system, at 20.43.7. What follows is a synopsis of the books translated in this volume, to help the reader navigate around the text and follow particular threads. The Index will also help in this regard.
| 16.1 | Preface |
| 16.2–4 | Macedon: Philip II’s first actions as king |
| (16.3.8 | notices of other historians) |
| 16.5–7.1 | Sicily: Dionysius II and Dion |
| 16.7.2–4 | Greece: Euboea; Athens’ Social War |
| 16.8 | Macedon: growth of power of Philip II |
| 16.9–13 | Sicily: Dionysius II and Dion |
| 16.14.1–2 | Greece and Macedon: Philip II vs. tyrants of Pherae |
| (16.14.3–5 | notices of other historians) |
| 16.15 | southern Italy: the Bruttii |
| 16.16–20 | Sicily: Dionysius II and Dion |
| 16.21–22.2 | Greece: Social War |
| 16.22.3 | Macedon: Philip II vs. Thracians |
| 16.23–31.5 | Greece: Third Sacred War |
| 16.31.6–7 | brief notices re Macedon (Philip II), the Cimmerian Bosporus, Rome, and Sicily |
| 16.32–3 | Greece: Third Sacred War |
| 16.34.1–2 | Asia: Artabazus’ rebellion in Asia Minor and Theban assistance |
| 16.34.3 | brief notices re Greece |
| 16.34.4–5 | Macedon: Philip II vs. Methone |
| 16.35–36.1 | Greece and Macedon: Third Sacred War |
| 16.36.2–5 | brief notices re Caria, Heraclea Pontica, Rome, and Sicily |
| 16.37–38 | Greece and Macedon: Third Sacred War |
| 16.39.1–7 | Greece: the Peloponnese |
| 16.39.8–40.2 | Greece: Third Sacred War |
| 16.40.3–45.6 | Phoenicia and Cyprus: Artaxerxes III’s war to recover lost territory |
| 16.45.7–9 | brief notices re Caria, Rome, and Sicily |
| 16.46–52.8 | Cyprus, Egypt, and Atarneus: Artaxerxes III’s war to recover lost territory |
| 16.52.9–10 | brief notices re Macedon (Philip II) and the Cimmerian Bosporus |
| 16.53–64 | Greece and Macedon: Philip II vs. Olynthus, and Athenian response; Third Sacred War |
| 16.65–68 | Sicily: Timoleon arrives in Sicily |
| 16.69.1–2 | brief notices re Rome and Caria |
| 16.69.3–6 | Sicily: Timoleon |
| 16.69.7–8 | Macedon: Philip II in Illyris and Thessaly |
| 16.70 | Sicily: Timoleon gains Syracuse |
| 16.71.1–2 | Macedon: Philip II in Thrace |
| (16.71.3 | notices of other historians) |
| 16.72.1 | brief notice re Epirus |
| 16.72.2–73 | Sicily: further successes for Timoleon |
| 16.74.1–2 | brief notices re Euboea and Caria |
| 16.74.3–76.4 | Macedon: Philip II vs. Perinthus and Byzantium |
| (16.76.5–6 | notices of other historians) |
| 16.77.1–3 | Macedon: Philip II and Byzantium |
| 16.77.4–83 | Sicily: Timoleon vs. Carthaginians |
| 16.84–88.2 | Greece and Macedon: Philip II; battle of Chaeronea |
| 16.88.3–5 | brief notices re southern Italy, Sparta, and Heraclea Pontica |
| 16.89 | Greece and Macedon: Philip II; League of Corinth |
| 16.90.1 | Sicily: death of Timoleon |
| 16.90.2 | brief notices re Cius and Rome |
| 16.91–5 | Macedon: assassination of Philip II |
| 17.1 | Preface |
| 17.2–4 | Greece and Macedon: Alexander III ascends to the throne, and deals with his enemies and restive Greeks |
| 17.5–7 | Asia: ascension of Darius III; skirmishing in Asia Minor |
| 17.8–15 | Greece and Macedon: sack of Thebes; Demades saves Athens |
| 17.16–47 | Asia: Alexander in Asia Minor; battle of Granicus river; sieges of Miletus and Halicarnassus; battle of Issus; siege of Tyre |
| 17.48.1–2 | Greece and Macedon: Agis III of Sparta plans uprising against Macedon with Persian help |
| 17.48.2–6 | Egypt: Amyntas fails to secure Egypt for Darius |
| 17.48.6–7 | brief notices re Greece and Macedon |
| 17.49–52 | Egypt: Alexander in Egypt |
| 17.53–61 | Asia: battle of Gaugamela |
| 17.62–3 | Greece and Macedon: Antipater quells Greek uprising (and in Thrace) |
| 17.64–73.4 | Asia: Alexander gains Babylon, Susa, and Persepolis |
| 17.73.5–6 | Greece and Macedon: aftermath of Greek rebellion |
| 17.74–110 | Asia: Alexander in the upper satrapies, in India, returns to Susa; the Harpalus affair; Alexander moves from Susa to Ecbatana; death of Hephaestion |
| 17.111.1–3 | Greece and Macedon: preparations for the Lamian War |
| 17.111.4–118 | Asia: Alexander defeats Cossaeans and returns to Babylon; Hephaestion’s pyre; death of Alexander |
| 18.1 | Preface |
| 18.2–7 | Asia: Perdiccas takes control in Babylon; description of the satrapies; the Greek rebellion |
| 18.8–13 | Greece and Macedon: Alexander’s Exiles Decree; the Lamian War |
| 18.14 | Egypt, Thrace, Greece, and Macedon: Ptolemy secures Egypt; Lysimachus battles Seuthes in Thrace; Leonnatus marches on Greece |
| 18.15 | Greece and Macedon: the Lamian War |
| 18.16.1–3 | Asia: Perdiccas takes Cappadocia |
| 18.16.4–18 | Greece and Macedon: conclusion of Lamian War; end of democracy at Athens |
| 18.19–21 | Egypt: Ptolemy annexes Cyrenaica |
| 18.22–3 | Asia: Perdiccas in Pisidia, marries Nicaea, courts Cleopatra |
| 18.24–5 | Greece: Antipater and Craterus vs. the Aetolians |
| 18.26–32 | Asia: Alexander’s funeral cart; Eumenes defends Asia Minor |
| 18.33–7 | Egypt: assassination of Perdiccas |
| 18.38 | Greece and Macedon: Aetolians invade Thessaly |
| 18.39–42 | Asia: the Triparadeisus conference; Antigonus vs. Eumenes in Asia Minor |
| 18.43 | Egypt: Ptolemy expands into Syria |
| 18.44–7 | Asia: Antigonus vs. Attalus and other Perdiccan generals in Asia Minor |
| 18.48–9 | Macedon: Antipater dies; Cassander prepares rebellion against Polyperchon |
| 18.50–3 | Asia: Antigonus continues to secure Asia Minor; the vicissitudes of Eumenes |
| 18.54–7 | Greece and Macedon: Cassander joins Antigonus; Polyperchon tries to win over Greek cities |
| 18.58–63 | Asia: Eumenes becomes Polyperchon’s General of Asia; Ptolemy and Antigonus try to undermine his position |
| 18.64–71 | Greece and Macedon: Athens, with Polyperchon’s help, fails to recover Piraeus; execution of Phocion; siege of Megalopolis |
| 18.72–3 | Asia: Antigonus takes control of the sea from Polyperchon; Eumenes heads for the upper satrapies |
| 18.74–5 | Greece and Macedon: Athens surrenders to Cassander |
| 19.1 | Preface |
| 19.2–9 | Sicily: Agathocles’ rise to power |
| 19.10 | Italy: brief notices re Rome and Croton |
| 19.11 | Macedon: Olympias kills Philip III and Eurydice |
| 19.12–34 | Asia: Eumenes reaches Susiane; the adventures of the captured Perdiccan generals; Antigonus pursues Eumenes; battle of Paraetacene |
| 19.35–6 | Macedon: Cassander invades Macedon |
| 19.37–44 | Asia: battle of Gabene and execution of Eumenes; Antigonus winters in Media |
| 19.45 | Rhodes: the great flood |
| 19.46–8 | Asia: Antigonus secures the upper satrapies |
| 19.49–52 | Macedon: Cassander completes takeover of Macedon, kills Olympias, imprisons Alexander IV and Rhoxane |
| 19.53–4 | Greece and Macedon: Cassander refounds Thebes and invades the Peloponnese |
| 19.55–62 | Asia: Seleucus flees from Antigonus to Ptolemy; build-up to Third War of the Successors; Cyprus divided |
| 19.63–64.4 | Greece and Macedon: Cassander campaigns in Peloponnese; defection of Alexander, Polyperchon’s son, to Cassander |
| 19.64.4–8 | Asia: Ptolemaic fleet defeats Antigonid fleet in eastern Mediterranean |
| 19.65.1–6 | Sicily: Agathocles fails to take Messana |
| 19.65.7 | brief notice re Rome |
| 19.66–68.1 | Greece and Macedon: Antigonid gains in the Peloponnese and central Greece; fighting on the west coast |
| 19.68.2–69 | Asia: Cassander campaigns vs. Ptolemy in Caria; Antigonus returns to Asia Minor in response |
| 19.70–72.2 | Sicily: Agathocles makes considerable gains |
| 19.72.3–9 | Rome: the Samnite War |
| 19.73 | Thrace: uprising of Greek cities vs. Lysimachus |
| 19.74 | Greece and Macedon: Antigonid campaign in the Peloponnese; Cassander campaigns on west coast |
| 19.75.1–6 | Asia: Antigonus secures Caria |
| 19.75.6 | Greece and Macedon: Cassander campaigns in Euboea |
| 19.76 | Rome: the Samnite War continues |
| 19.77–8 | Greece: Antigonid successes in central Greece |
| 19.79–86 | Egypt: Ptolemy suppresses Cyrenaic rebellion and makes gains in Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Coele Syria |
| 19.87–9 | Greece and Macedon: Antigonus’ general Ptolemaeus puts down Telesphorus’ rebellion; Cassander in Epirus |
| 19.90–100 | Asia: Seleucus recovers Babylonia and starts to take the upper satrapies; Demetrius drives Ptolemy out of Phoenicia and Coele Syria; Antigonus, the Nabataeans, and the Dead Sea; Demetrius attacks Babylonia |
| 19.101 | Rome: the Samnite War |
| 19.102–4 | Sicily: Agathocles tightens his control |
| 19.105.1–4 | Asia and Macedon: the Peace of the Dynasts; Cassander murders Alexander IV and Rhoxane |
| 19.105.5 | Italy: brief notice re Rome |
| 19.106–10 | Sicily: Agathocles loses much of Sicily to the Carthaginians |
| 20.1–2 | Preface |
| 20.3–18 | Sicily and North Africa: Agathocles takes the Carthaginian war to Africa; Syracuse barely survives |
| 20.19 | brief notices re Macedon, Greece, and Asia Minor |
| 20.20 | Macedon: Polyperchon prepares for war against Cassander to install Heracles as king |
| 20.21 | Cyprus: Ptolemy sees to Nicocles’ death |
| 20.22–26.2 | Cimmerian Bosporus: the War of the Brothers |
| 20.26.3–4 | Rome: the Samnite War |
| 20.27 | Asia: Ptolemy campaigns in Asia Minor |
| 20.28 | Macedon: Cassander defuses Polyperchon’s attempt to regain power |
| 20.29.1 | brief notices re Thrace and Sparta |
| 20.29.2–34 | Sicily and North Africa: Carthaginian assault on Syracuse repulsed; Acragas bids for ascendancy on the island; Agathocles survives a mutiny |
| 20.35–6 | Rome: warfare against Samnites and Etruscans; Appius Claudius as censor |
| 20.37 | Greece: Ptolemy fails to gain control of Greece; assassination of Cleopatra |
| 20.38–44.7 | North Africa: further inconclusive fighting; Agathocles treacherously gains Cyrenaic forces; Bomilcar fails to make himself tyrant of Carthage |
| 20.44.8–9 | brief notice re Rome |
| 20.45–6 | Greece: Demetrius gains Athens and Piraeus |
| 20.47–53 | Cyprus: Demetrius takes Cyprus from Ptolemy; battle of Salamis |
| 20.54–72 | Sicily and North Africa: further gains for Agathocles; Acragas’ bid for ascendancy fails; Agathocles’ return to Sicily; setbacks for Agatharchus in North Africa; Agathocles decides to abandon North Africa; Agathocles’ cruelty on his return |
| 20.73–6 | Egypt: failed invasion by Antigonus |
| 20.77.1 | brief notice re Heraclea Pontica |
| 20.77.1–79 | Sicily: negotiations for Agathocles’ surrender |
| 20.80 | Rome: Samnite War |
| 20.81–8 | Rhodes: the Antigonid siege |
| 20.89–90.2 | Sicily: Agathocles’ recovery |
| 20.90.3–4 | Rome: Samnite War |
| 20.91–100.4 | Rhodes: the Antigonid siege |
| 20.100.5–6 | Greece: Demetrius returns to Greece |
| 20.100.7 | brief notice re the Cimmerian Bosporus |
| 20.101.1–4 | Sicily: Agathocles attacks Lipara |
| 20.101.5 | Rome: peace with the Samnites |
| 20.102–3 | Greece: Demetrius gains Sicyon, Corinth, etc. |
| 20.104–5 | Italy: Cleonymus of Sparta’s adventures in southern Italy |
| 20.106–9 | Asia: new anti-Antigonid alliance; build-up to battle of Ipsus |
| 20.110–111.3 | Greece and Macedon: Cassander and Demetrius face off in Thessaly |
| 20.111.4 | brief notices re Cius and Cappadocia |
| 20.112–13 | Greece and Asia: Cassander recovers Thessaly; Ptolemy comes and goes in Coele Syria; build-up to battle of Ipsus |
In Book 16, approximately 69.5 chapters cover Greece and Macedon, approximately 25.5 chapters cover Sicily, and the rest receive no more than brief notices. The entirety of Book 17 is given over to the affairs of Greece and Macedon and Asia: that is, Alexander’s eastern expedition, incorporating Egyptian and Persian affairs. Book 18 too contains nothing but material relating to Greece and Macedon and Asia (but see p. xxxvii: there is probably a lacuna in the text that would have contained material on Sicily). Book 19 consists of approximately 85.5 chapters on Greece and Macedon, 19.5 chapters on Sicily, and 4 chapters on Rome. Book 20 consists of 52 chapters on Greece and Macedon, the same number of chapters on Sicily, and 7 chapters on Rome.