Zeno of Rhodes (Ζήνων ὁ Ῥόδιος) was a Hellenistic historian from Rhodes active in the 2nd century BCE. His life is poorly documented, and he is known primarily as a source for later historians like Polybius and Diodorus Siculus. His work focused on the political and military history of the eastern Mediterranean following Alexander the Great’s death [1].

His only known work is the lost History of Rhodes (or Rhodian History), preserved only in fragments cited by later authors [1][2].

Zeno’s significance derives from his use by Polybius, who cited him as an authority on Rhodian affairs while criticizing him and Antisthenes for patriotic bias, accusing them of exaggerating Rhodian contributions in events like the Battle of Lade [1][2]. Despite this criticism, his work contributed to the transmitted record of Hellenistic history, particularly concerning Rhodes’s interactions with Macedon and Rome [1][2].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zeno-of-Rhodes 2. Perseus Digital Library, Polybius, Histories: https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234%3Abook%3D16%3Achapter%3D14