The Histories of Polybius - Volume 1 of 2

by Polybius, Evelyn S. Shuckburgh (Translator)

The Histories of Greek-born, Roman historian Polybius (c.200 118 BCE) are reissued here in two volumes.
Comprising the complete Books 1 to 5, the near complete Book 6, and fragments of Books 7 to 9, Volume 1 covers, inter alia, an assessment of Rome's enemies (notably Egypt and Greece), the Peloponnesian War, the beginnings of the First and Second Punic Wars, the battles of Ticinus and Trebia, the harmonious society of Rome, and a discussion of historical method that prioritises objectivity. Undertaken by the classicist Evelyn Shuckburgh (1843 1906), this first complete English translation (utilising F. Hultsch's 1867 72 Greek text) was published in 1889. A tutor, and later librarian, at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Shuckburgh produced school editions of Sophocles and Suetonius as well as short histories on the classical world. This highly readable translation has remained a fascinating historical account of the second and third centuries BCE."

Genres: History

670 pages, Paperback

Published August 2, 2012

About the author

Polybius (ca. 200–118 BC), Greek Πολύβιος) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his book called The Histories covering in detail the period of 220–146 BC. He is also renowned for his ideas of political balance in government, which were later used in Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws and in the drafting of the United States Constitution.

Reviews

[Aaron Schuschu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly about the Punic Wars, Macedonia getting involved on the side of Carthage, and Sicily being where most of the battles were. It’s interesting that Livy’s coverage of the second Punic War is lost and it’s what survives of Polybius. And kind of funny that, for as much as is talked about Hannibal and his elephants, he lost a lot of his own pulling that off.

[Jørgen Pedersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Det er fabelagtigt at læse den antikke historie af en historiker, der selv så Karthago brænde. Historien bliver ekstra levende når han går i detaljer og fx. beretter hvordan Hannibal fik 37 elefanter over Rhinen eller hvordan fire dages march igennem norditaliens sumpe kun gav plads til søvn, når soldaterne kunne sove ovenpå deres døde heste. Der er måske behov for kildekritik, men det er en god historie. Polybius historie er komprimeret læsning, som kræver at man holder tungen lige i munden og udstyrer sig med et detaljeret kort over middelhavslandene 200 f.kr, da han springer imellem samtidige begivenheder, steder og lande.
Det har været en kæmpe oplevelse at læse Polybius, der frem for alt har givet mig en dyb indsigt i de puniske kriges forløb. Og nu venter bind 2, for historien er kun nået halvvejs.