Dercyllus the Historian (Δερκύλλος ὁ ἱστορικός) was a 4th-century BCE author of a local history of Argos. No biographical details survive beyond this attribution. His obscurity is such that he is referenced primarily as a potential source used by later, more prominent historians [1].

His sole known work is the Argolica (Ἀργολικά), a history of Argos. The text is lost, surviving only in a handful of fragments and later citations [1].

Dercyllus represents the genre of local history (horography) common in the Classical period. His significance lies in his role as a source for Argive history, possibly utilized by later compilers like Diodorus Siculus, and as evidence for the breadth of historical writing beyond the major surviving authors [1].

Sources 1. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-2132 (Entry for "Diodorus Siculus," referencing Dercyllus as a source for Argive history).