POLYBIUS (c. 200-118 BC)

Whilst a Greek historian, also a Roman historian, and wrote 'The Histories' how Rome came to be so great. Like the three Classical Greek Historians, Polybius himself had personal experiences and inquiries into what he was studying at a level that included and went beyond reading scrolls and memoirs stored in a library. He also wrote about the Sack of Carthage (146BC) including eyewitnesses' accounts.

Polybius was born in Megalopolis, Arcadia, when it was an active member of the Achaean League. His father, Lycortas, was a prominent, land-owning politician and member of the governing class. Consequently Polybius was able to observe first hand the political and military affairs of Megalopolis. Polybius himself was elected as 'hipparchus' (cavalry officer), and his early political career was devoted largely towards maintaining the independence of Megalopolis.

Polybius wrote several works, the majority of which are lost. We knew there are other work he has done but lost because other authors have referenced his works, such as Livy and Plutarch. His earliest work was a biography of the Greek stateman - Philopoemen. He also wrote an extensive treatise entitled 'Tactics', which may have detailed Roman and Greek military tactics.

The largest work was 'Histories', of which only the first five books survive entirely intact, along with a large portion of the sixth book and fragments of the rest. The 'Histories' captured varied elements of the story of human behaviour; nationalism, xenophobia, duplicitous politics, war, brutality, loyalty, valour, intelligence, reason and resourcefulness. Along with Cato the Elder (234-149BC), he can be considered one of the founding fathers of Roman historiography.