What is Diodorus Siculus's central theory of history?
My central theory is that history should be universal and didactic, revealing the patterns of human fortune and the consequences of virtue and vice. I believe that by studying the rise and fall of empires, individuals can learn to avoid hubris and embrace justice. I argue that history is a cycle of growth and decay driven by moral character, not mere chance. For example, I show how the Assyrians, Medes, and Persians each fell due to corruption, while the Romans succeeded through discipline. This moral framework, drawn from Stoic and Peripatetic ideas, underpins my entire narrative.
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