DURIS  , of

Samos, Greek historian, according to his own account a descendant of Alcibiades, was born about 340 B.C . He must have been born and passed his early years in exile, since from 352 to 324 Samos was occupied by Athenian cleruchs, who had expelled the original inhabitants . He was a pupil of Theophrastus of Eresus, whom he met at Athens . When quite young, he obtained a prize for boxing at the Olympic games; a statue by Hippias was set up in commemoration of his victory (Pausanias vi . 13 . 5) . He was for some time despot of his native island . Duris was the author of a comprehensive historical work ('Ivropfae) on Hellenico-Macedonian history, from the battle of Leuctra (371) down to the death of Lysimachus (281), which was largely used by Diodorus Siculus . Other works by him included a life of Agathocles of Syracuse, the annals (wpoi) of ,Samos chronologically arranged according to the lists of the priests of Hera, and a number of treatises on literary and artistic subjects . Ancient authorities do not appear to have held a very high opinion of his merits as a historian . Plutarch (Pericles, 28) expresses doubt as to his trustworthiness, Dionysius of Halicarnassus (De compos. verborum, 4) speaks disparagingly of his style, and Photius (cod . 176) regards the arrangement of his work as altogether faulty .

Cicero (ad Att. vi . 1) accords him qualified praise as an industrious writer . Fragments in C . W . Muller, Frag . Hist . Graec. ii . 446, where the passage of Pausanias referred to above and the date of Duris's victory at Olympia are discussed .