Page:Next-of-kin Marriages in Old Iran.djvu/33

Diogenes Laertius, Strabo and Curtius seem to rely upon the spurious works of Xanthus (vide Dr. Windischmann, Zoroastriche Studien, p. 268 seq.; Adam, p. 717). The works of Athenæus and Curtius are supposed to be collections of extracts from the writings of historians, dramatists and philosophers, who preceded them (comp. Smith's 'Classical Dictionary,' s. v.). In the absence of any available information, it is difficult to trace the isolated reports of Tatian and Minutius Felix to Xanthus, Ctesias, or Herodotus. Consequently, the only independent sources of information more or less authentic, seem to issue from only four of the classical writers above-named:—Xanthus, Herodotus, Ctesias, and Agathias. Their reports may be considered to have modelled the tone of classical history relating to ancient Irân.

However, in an enquiry with regard to their evidence, the questions most important and most natural are: What is their authenticity? How far may their testimony be relied upon? Are there any conflicting statements in these historians