Polybius\'s Histories Form a Canon

Polybius's Histories form a canon of primary source literature necessary for a complete understanding of the Hellenistic world. His coverage of the rise and zenith of the Roman Empire is unparalleled, making Polybius's contributions a critical component of classics scholasticism. This research will analyze the historical context in which Polybius wrote and documented his Histories. Through this analysis, I will discuss the political and social constraints on the author, and also the contemporary and posthumous reactions to his writing.

Living as a Greek under Roman rule, Polybius's insights are uniquely insightful. Polybius's histories are generated and told within the framework of a confluence of cultures. Central to Polybius's historical arguments is his sense of continuity: the awareness that governments exhibit cyclical changes and must progress to embrace diversity. His astute analyses remain eerily relevant to the modern world, which is one of the most compelling reasons to revisit Polybius.

A critical historiography of Polybius will take into account the political climate in which he wrote and which influenced his writing. Forming the core of the Histories of Polybius is an applause of Roman systems of government. To Polybius, the Roman system had evolved into one with an ideal balance of power. Why the historian believed this, and how the Roman system came to embody the qualities that Polybius lauded will be explored through my research.

Furthermore, the research will look more in detail to what Polybius's accounts say about actual historical events and figures. To compare the accounts of Polybius with those of his contemporaries offers modern historians a chance to piece together a more accurate vision of the classical world.

Polybius's historical eye laid an early foundation for investigating trends such as transformations in government and military strategy. In fact, part of my research will focus on Polybius's accounts of the wars he had witnessed personally including the Battles of Cannae and Corinth. Viewing the broad forces involved in such militaristic affairs rather than focusing overly much on the details, Polybius is one of the first historians to have given us historiographical methodologies and tools. At the same time, Polybius did offer detailed chronicles that contribute to an understanding of chronology and geography.