The Bibliotheke

Virtually nothing is known about Quintus Curtius Rufus, author of a History of Alexander in 10 books in Latin, and unfortunately the first two books, which might have included a preface, are lost. A Q. Curtius Rufus is attested during the reign of Claudius (41-54) and another around 100, but whether either is our author cannot be established. Stylistically, the work seems to have been written between 50 and 100 CE, but dates as late as 200 have been proposed. Over 100 manuscripts of the History of Alexander have come down to us, attesting to the continuing popularity of the work, the only extant history of Alexander in Latin. This translation is by J. C. Rolfe and was originally published in the Loeb Classical Library in 1946. It is now in the public domain.