Polybius, a Greek statesman taken to Rome as a political hostage in 167 BC, became one of Rome’s greatest historians. His Histories trace Rome’s rise to control of the Mediterranean between 264 and 146 BC, with particular attention to the Punic Wars and the constitutional analysis of Rome’s mixed constitution — which he regarded as the secret of Roman success. His methodology is analytical and empirical, making him a forerunner of modern historical practice.
This free EPUB of Volume 1 is cleanly formatted for e-readers. Polybius is essential reading for anyone studying the Roman Republic, the Punic Wars, or the political thought of the ancient Mediterranean world.