Polybius' Histories

by Brian C. McGing

Overview

Polybius' Histories is one of classical antiquity's great political narratives. Written in 40 books (of which only the first five are preserved in full), it originally set out to explain the dramatic rise of Rome in the half century from the war against Hannibal to the defeat and abolishment of the Macedonian kingdom in 167 BC. At a later stage, Polybius extended his coverage down to the Roman destruction of Carthage and Corinth in the year 146 BC. Although written in an ordinary Greek style, the work was composed with great care, clarity and skill, and provides a fascinating discourse on the politics of power. The author was himself a leading Greek politician and general who moved at ease among the most powerful men of the day and participated in many of the events that he describes. This volume provides an accessible introduction to this important work of classical literature. Beginning with an outline of its contents and organization, Brian McGing goes on to examine Polybius' theoretical approach to writing history and the careful artistry behind his work. Later chapters discuss Polybius' eventful life and how it affected his views on history and politics, and analyze the influential theorizing of book six of the Histories. In an epilogue, McGing chronicles the fate of Polybius' work after his death, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance to the American Revolution and up to the present. The volume includes detailed maps and a list of prominent persons.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195310337
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/24/2010
Series:	Oxford Approaches to Classical Literature
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	889,865
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Brian C. McGing is Regius Professor of Greek, and Director of the Centre for Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies at Trinity College Dublin.

Table of Contents

Editors' Foreword v

Maps xi

Introduction 3

1 Contents and Organization of the Work 17

2 The Historian's Task 51

3 Art and History: The Narrative of Books 4 and 5 95

4 The Historian as Homeric Hero 129

5 The Political Theorizing of Book 6 169

Epilogue: Into the Future 203

Appendix: Outline of the Work 223

Bibliography 241

Prominent Persons 247

Index 257

Editorial Reviews

"This is an excellent book—comprehensive, balanced, and thought-provoking. It even helps readers understand some of Polybius's annoying characteristics: his relentless assault on other historians and his cruel attacks on contemporaries (powerful Romans excluded). McGing is well aware of Polybius's shortcomings and questionable practices, but he shows that, beyond them, there is a genuine, interesting historian." —HISTORY: Reviews of New Books

"McGing's book provides a thorough and usually thought-provoking introduction to the Histories that should interest and encourage any reader who is approaching Polybius for the first time." —Bryn Mawr Classical Review

From the Publisher