Editing Timaeus (historian)

{{Short description|Greek historian (died c. 260 BC)}}
'''Timaeus of Tauromenium''' ({{langx|grc|Τιμαῖος}}<!--not Τίμαιος-->; born 356 or 350 BC; died {{circa|260&nbsp;BC}}) was an [[Ancient Greece|ancient Greek]] [[historian]]. He was widely regarded by ancient authors as the most influential historian between the time of [[Ephorus]] (4th century BC) and [[Polybius]] (2nd century BC).{{Sfn|Pearson|1987|p=1}}{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}{{sfn|Champion|2012}} In the words of scholar [[Lionel I. C. Pearson]], Timaeus "maintained his position as the standard authority on the history of the Greek West for nearly five centuries."{{Sfn|Pearson|1987|p=271}}

==Biography==
Timaeus was born {{circa|356}}{{sfn|Champion|2012}} or {{circa|350&nbsp;BC}}{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=18|ps=: "The year of his birth is not known, but since he lived to see the beginning of the First Punic War in 264, it is unlikely to be much earlier than 350."}} in [[Tauromenium]] (modern [[Taormina]], in eastern [[Sicily]]), to a wealthy and influential Greek family. His father, [[Andromachus (ruler of Tauromenium)|Andromachus]], was a dynast who had refounded Tauromenium in 358 with former inhabitants of [[Naxos (city)|Naxos]] (destroyed by [[Dionysius I of Syracuse|Dionysius I]] in 403), and ruled there with [[Timoleon]]'s support.{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}{{sfn|Champion|2012}}{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}}

Some time after 316 BC, perhaps in 315 or 312,{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} Timaeus is said to have been banished from Sicily by [[Agathocles of Syracuse|Agathocles]], the [[tyrant]] of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]], possibly because of Timaeus' hostility towards him after the tyrant had captured Tauromenium.{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} Some scholars have suggested that he left Sicily earlier,{{Sfn|Brown|1958|pp=2–6}}{{sfn|Champion|2012}} although most researchers agree that he was forced out in the 310s, rather than leaving voluntarily as a young man.<ref>{{harvnb|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}}, citing {{harvnb|Walbank|1968|pp=483–484}}, {{harvnb|Meister|1970|pp=55–56}}, {{harvnb|Momigliano|1977|p=38}}</ref>

Timaeus spent at least fifty years in [[Athens]].{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} It is not clear if he ever returned to Sicily.<ref>{{harvnb|Meister|1970|pp=53–55}}; {{harvnb|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}</ref> Scholar Christopher A. Baron writes that Timaeus may never have returned to his homeland, even after Agathocles' death in 289 BC,{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} while [[Craige B. Champion]] argues that he may have come back under the reign of [[Hiero II of Syracuse|Hiero&nbsp;II]] (ca. 271–216).{{sfn|Champion|2012}}

While in Athens, Timaeus wrote a history of the Greek West down to 289 BC, and another chronicling the wars of [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]] continuing to 264 BC.{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} Claims that he studied under [[Philiscus of Miletus]], a pupil of [[Isocrates]], remain uncertain and may stem from later attempts to link Timaeus stylistically with Isocrates.{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}}

He died shortly after 264&nbsp;BC, likely around 260&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}{{sfn|Champion|2012}}{{Sfn|Baron|2013|p=|pp=17–22}} According to [[Pseudo-Lucian]], he reached the age of 96.{{sfn|Meister|1989|pp=57–58}}

==Work==
While in Athens, he completed his great historical work, the ''Histories'', which comprised thirty-eight books.{{sfn|Champion|2012}} This work was divided into unequal sections containing the history of Greece from its earliest days until the first [[Punic wars|Punic war]]. The ''Histories'' treated the history of Italy and Sicily in early times, of Sicily alone, and of Sicily and Greece together.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=977}} The last five books address the time of [[Agathocles of Syracuse|Agathocles]] in detail; the work most likely concluded before the Romans crossed over into Sicily in 264.{{sfn|Champion|2012}} Timaeus also wrote a monograph on the Greek king [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]], which almost certainly had the wars against Rome as its centrepiece.{{sfn|Champion|2012}}

Timaeus devoted much attention to [[chronology]] and introduced the system of reckoning by [[Olympiad]]s. In order to plot chronologies, he employed the years of [[Archon]]s of [[Athens]], of [[Ephor]]s of [[Sparta]], and of priestesses of [[Ancient Argos|Argos]]. This system, although not adopted in everyday life, was widely used by the Greek historians afterwards.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=977}}

Timaeus can claim to be the first to recognize in his work the rising power of the [[Roman Republic]],<ref>F.&nbsp;W. Walbank. "Polemic in Polybius," ''The Journal of Roman Studies'', Vol.&nbsp;52, Parts&nbsp;1 and 2 (1962), p. 10</ref> although it is not clear whether he regarded Rome as a potential friend or foe, and how he understood its significance for the history of the Mediterranean world as a whole.{{sfn|Champion|2012}} According to scholar Craige B. Champion, "Timaeus may well have been the first writer to see clearly the importance to the western Greeks of the victor of the great Sicilian War, whether it be Rome or Carthage, which he could not have divined."{{sfn|Champion|2012}}

Very few parts of the elaborate work of this historian were preserved after [[Classical antiquity|Antiquity]]:{{citation needed|date=April 2016}}
* Some fragments of the 38th book of the ''Histories'' (the life of [[Agathocles of Syracuse|Agathocles]]);
* A reworking of the last part of his Histories, ''On [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]]'', treating the life of this king of [[Epirus]] until 264&nbsp;BC;
* History of the cities and kings of [[Syria]] (unless the text of the ''[[Suda]]'' is corrupt);
* The chronological sketch (''The victors at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]]'') perhaps formed an appendix to the larger work.

==Reception==
Timaeus was highly criticized by other historians, especially by [[Polybius]], and indeed his unfairness towards his predecessors, which gained him the nickname of ''Epitimaeus'' (Επιτίμαιος, "fault-finder"), laid him open to retaliation. While Polybius was well-versed in military matters and a statesman, Timaeus is depicted as a bookworm without military experience or personal knowledge of the places he described. The most serious charge against him was that he willfully distorted the truth when influenced by personal considerations: thus, he was less than fair to [[Dionysius&nbsp;I of Syracuse]] and [[Agathocles of Syracuse|Agathocles]], while loud in praise of his favourite [[Timoleon]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=977}}

On the other hand, as even Polybius admitted, Timaeus consulted all available authorities and records. His attitude towards the myths, which he claimed to have preserved in their simple form, can be contrasted to the rationalistic interpretation under which it had become the fashion to disguise them. This is probably the origin of his nickname ''graosyllektria'' (γραοσυλλεκτρία; "Old Ragwoman", or "collector of old wives' tales"), an allusion to his fondness for trivial details.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=977}}

Both [[Dionysius of Halicarnassus]] and the [[Pseudo-Longinus]] characterized him as a model of "frigidity", although the latter admitted that he was nevertheless a competent writer. [[Cicero]], who was a diligent reader of Timaeus, expressed a far more favourable opinion, especially commending his copiousness of matter and variety of expression. Timaeus was one of the chief authorities used by [[Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus]], by [[Diodorus Siculus]], and by [[Plutarch]] (in his ''[[Parallel Lives|life of Timoleon]]'').{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=978}}

==See also==
*[[Timaeus of Locri]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin|30em|indent=yes}}
*{{Cite book|last=Baron|first=Christopher A.|title=Timaeus of Tauromenium and Hellenistic Historiography|year=2013|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-107-00097-1}}
*{{Cite book |title=Timaeus of Tauromenium |last=Brown |first=Truesdell S. |year=1958 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley }}
*{{Cite journal|last=Champion|first=Craige B.|title=Timaeus of Tauromenium|year=2012|journal=The Encyclopedia of Ancient History|editor-last=Bagnall|editor-first=Roger S|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|doi=10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah08159|isbn=978-1-4443-3838-6|editor2-last=Brodersen|editor2-first=Kai|editor3-last=Champion|editor3-first=Craige B|editor4-last=Erskine|editor4-first=Andrew|author-link=Craige B. Champion}}
*{{Cite journal|last=Meister|first=Klaus|year=1970|title=Das Exil des Timaios von Tauromenion| journal=Kokalos |volume=16|pages=53–59}}
*{{Cite journal|last=Meister|first=Klaus|year=1989|title=The role of Timaeus in Greek historiography|journal=Scripta Classica Israelica|volume=10|pages=55–65}}
*{{Cite book |last=Momigliano |first=Arnaldo |title=Essays in Ancient and Modern Historiograph |publisher=Blackwell |year=1977 |isbn=978-0-608-02319-9 |chapter=Athens in the Third Century BC and the Discovery of Rome in the Histories of Timaeus of Tauromenium |pages=37–66 |author-link=Arnaldo Momigliano}}
*{{Cite book|last=Pearson|first=Lionel I. C.|title=The Greek Historians of the West: Timaeus and His Predecessors|year=1987|publisher=American Philological Association|isbn=978-1-55540-151-1|author-link=Lionel I. C. Pearson}}
*{{Cite journal|last=Walbank|first=Frank W.|year=1968|title=The historians of Greek Sicily| journal=Kokalos |volume=14/15|pages=476–497}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
*Asheri, D. (1991/2) “The art of synchronization in Greek historiography: the case of Timaeus of Tauromenium,” SCI 11: 52–89.

*Pearson, Lionel I. C. (1986) “The speeches in Timaeus’ history,” AJPh 107: 350–68.
*Schepens, Guido (1978) “Polybius on Timaeus’ account of Phalaris’ bull: a case of deisidaimonia,” AncSoc 9: 117–48.
*{{Cite journal|last=Schepens|first=Guido|year=1994|title=Politics and Belief in Timaeus of Tauromenium|journal=Ancient Society|volume=25|pages=249–278|doi=10.2143/AS.25.0.2005851 |issn=0066-1619|jstor=44079743}}
*Van der Stockt, L. (2005) “‘Πολυβιάσασθαι’? Plutarch on Timaeus and ‘Tragic History’,” in Schepens and Bollansée (2005), 271–305.
*{{Cite book |last=Walbank |first=Frank W. |chapter=Timaeus' views on the past |title=Polybius, Rome and the Hellenistic World: Essays and Reflections |year=2002 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-43605-2 |pages=165–177}}
*{{EB1911|wstitle= Timaeus|volume=26|pages=977–978}}
{{refend}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Timaeus}}
[[Category:3rd-century BC Greek historians]]
[[Category:Sicilian Greeks]]
[[Category:Historians from Magna Graecia]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek political refugees]]
[[Category:Hellenistic Athens]]
[[Category:Pyrrhus of Epirus]]
[[Category:350s BC births]]
[[Category:250s BC deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:Year of death uncertain]]