author
Polybius
A Greek historian and statesman from Megalopolis, he became one of the ancient world’s sharpest observers of power, war, and politics. His great work, The Histories, set out to explain how Rome rose so quickly to dominate the Mediterranean.
2 Audiobooks
The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 2 (of 2)
by Polybius
The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 1 (of 2)
by Polybius
About the author
Born around 200 BCE in Megalopolis in Arcadia, Polybius was not just a writer but an active political figure in the Achaean League. After Rome defeated Macedon, he was taken to Rome as a hostage, where he gained access to leading Roman circles and the firsthand knowledge that would shape his historical writing.
Polybius is best known for The Histories, a large-scale account of the years in which Rome expanded into the dominant power of the Mediterranean world. He cared deeply about causes and consequences, and he argued that history should be based on inquiry, eyewitness testimony, and practical experience rather than rumor or legend.
His work survived only in part, but it remained hugely influential. Readers have long valued him for his clear interest in politics, mixed government, military affairs, and the way chance and human decisions interact in history.