Abydenus the Historian (Ἀβυδηνὸς ὁ ἱστορικός) was a Hellenistic historian of the 2nd–1st century BCE. His name suggests an origin from Abydos, either on the Hellespont or in Egypt. He wrote in Ionic Greek prose, and his work demonstrates a direct engagement with Babylonian historical traditions, indicating he operated within the intellectual milieu of the Hellenistic Near East [1].

His known work is the Assyriaca (or On the Assyrians), a history of Assyria and Babylon preserved only in fragments quoted by later authors like Eusebius of Caesarea and Cyril of Alexandria [1][2].

Abydenus is significant for transmitting Mesopotamian traditions to the Greek world. His Assyriaca relied heavily on earlier sources, particularly the Babylonian priest Berossus, thereby preserving details of king lists, the Flood narrative, and other legends. These fragments provide crucial evidence for the reception and transmission of Near Eastern history in the Hellenistic period and were later utilized by Christian chronographers for historical synchronisms [1][2].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abydenus 2. Perseus Digital Library, Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aentry%3Dabydenus-bio-1