The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost Books

The later books of this monumental Roman chronicle pick up as the Republic pushes beyond Italy, following the illustrious Scipio brothers as they wrestle with the Seleucid king Antiochus and navigate the Senate’s fierce debates over provincial command. Detailed scenes show diplomatic petitions, naval clashes at Myonnesus, and the founding of new colonies, while political rivalries in Rome hinge on the balance of personal honor and collective duty. The translation stays close to the original Latin, preserving the cadence of Livy’s prose even as it stitches together surviving passages with concise epitomes of the lost sections.

Listeners are treated to vivid portrayals of senate chambers filled with heated argument, battlefield strategies that carry the war into Asia, and the subtle maneuvering that determines who will govern Greece or the newly secured territories. Though gaps remain, the repaired fragments give a clear sense of how Rome’s leaders blended ambition with the weight of tradition, offering a compelling glimpse into the empire’s decisive decades.