Chronicle

work by Apollodorus of Athens

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June 24, 2026

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The Chronicle (Chronika) was a work of Greek history by Apollodorus of Athens, a scholar who lived after 120 bc. He was a colleague of Aristarchus of Samothrace and served as a librarian in Alexandria before moving to Athens.

The Chronicle was written in iambic trimeter, the meter of Greek comedy. It spanned from the fall of Troy in 1184 bc to 144 bc in its initial three books, with a later continuation to 119 bc in a fourth book. Apollodorus also wrote on philology, geography, and mythology.

A separate document, the Parian Chronicle, is a marble inscription outlining Greek history from the legendary king Cecrops of Athens to 264/263 bc. It focuses on cultural events like festivals and the introduction of poetry, rather than battles or constitutional history.12

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Apollodorus of Athens
…known for his Chronika (Chronicle) of Greek history. Apollodorus was a colleague of the Homeric scholar Aristarchus of Samothrace (both served as librarians of the great library in Alexandria, Egypt). Apollodorus left Alexandria about 146 for Pergamum and eventually settled at Athens. The Chronicle, written in the iambic trimeter…
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…known for his Chronika (Chronicle) of Greek history. Apollodorus was a colleague of the Homeric scholar Aristarchus of Samothrace (both served as librarians of the great library in Alexandria, Egypt). Apollodorus left Alexandria about 146 for Pergamum and eventually settled at Athens. The Chronicle, written in the iambic trimeter…
Read More