The histories, introduction and notes by brian mcging. Polybius, histories, book 6, the roman constitution. It will not nor does it aim to supersede walbank s historical commentary, as it. A new commentary on polybius i newcastle university. I am aware that some will be at a loss to account for my interrupting the course of my narrative for the sake of entering upon the following disquisition on the roman constitution. This chapter takes as its startingpoint walbank s writings on greek decline. Far from having renounced his political interests in order to write his commentary on polybius, walbanks examination of the decline of ancient societies both greek and roman is deeply embedded within walbanks wider political and social concerns. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. This chapter uses frank walbank s historical commentary on polybius as a palmary example of the subgenre of the historical commentary, and notes that the subgenre is largely ignored by the literature on commentary theory. Walbank is something of a myth when it comes to polybius. Walbank is emeritus professor of ancient history and classical archaeology, university of liverpool, and author of the historical commentary on. Commentary on books xixxl, frank william walbank 0198140118, 9780198140115 file download fidyde. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. The origins of the second punic war bulletin of the.
The work describes the rise of the roman republic to the status of dominance in the ancient mediterranean world. He mainly discusses the years in which ancient rome rose to superpower status from 220 bc to 167 bc, describing romes efforts in subduing its arch enemy, carthage, and thereby. Had the praise of history been passed over by former chroniclers it would perhaps have been incumbent upon me to urge the choice and special study of records of this sort, as the readiest means men can have of correcting their knowledge of the past. The press, with only one moneylosing, large scale commentary at hand, gave walbank his choice of tacitus or polybius. This chapter uses frank walbanks historical commentary on polybius as a palmary example of the subgenre of the historical commentary, and notes that the subgenre is largely ignored by the literature on commentary theory. Walbank, polybius, philinus, and the first punic war.
When ancient historians wanted to take cognizance of what their predecessors had written, they seem usually, though not always, to have preferred an anonymous reference to one by name. See all 3 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. But i think that i have already in many passages made it fully evident that this particular branch of my work. Polybius and the annalists on the outbreak and early years of the second punic war, athenaeum. Jan 01, 1972 walbank is something of a myth when it comes to polybius.
Walbank attended bradford grammar school and went on to study classics at peterhouse, cambridge. A historical commentary on polybius, volume 1 book. Polybius, histories, book 2, recapitulation of book 1. An insight into the nature of hellenistic oratory, the american journal of philology 95 1974. Walbank is emeritus professor of ancient history and classical archaeology, university of liverpool, and author of the historical commentary on polybius.
The publication of the first volume of walbank s polybius is an important event in the history of modern scholarship. Representation of alexander in the histories of polybius and livy nikolaus leo overtoom, master of arts, 2011 directed by. W albank, a historical commentary on po lybius ii 1967 5556, e. Polybius, and moreover that these two approaches can be conceptually reconciled from a stoic perspective. Gruen, the hellenistic world and th e coming of rome california 1984 3 7577, and. Philip v of macedon, the hare prize essay 1939 cambridge university press, 1940 a historical commentary on polybius oxford university press vol. Whenever you get stuck with what polybius actually meant when he said something, you are really hoping walbank picked up the problem, discussed it and can point you in. Volume ii, commentary on books viixviii walbank, f. Walbank describes the historical traditions within which polybius wrote as well as his concept of history. Gruen, the hellenistic world and th e coming of rome california 1984 3. Histories, book 12 cambridge, mass harvard university. Forged from a partnership between a university press and a library, project muse is a trusted part of the academic and scholarly community it serves. The histories of polybius book six translated by evelyn s. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection.
He was born in bingley, yorkshire, and died in cambridge walbank attended bradford grammar school and went on to study classics at peterhouse, cambridge from 1951 to 1977, walbank was rathbone professor of. As a young man, the historian polybius was an active politician in the achaean confederacy of the second century b. The manuscript tradition of polybius cambridge university press, 1965 walbank, frank w. Commentary on books xixxl, frank william walbank 1979 at the clarendon press, 1979 a historical commentary on polybius. Walbank emeritus professor of ancient history and classical arcliaeology. It will not nor does it aim to supersede walbanks historical commentary, as it. Another requisite for obtaining a judicious approval for an historical disquisition, is that it should be germane to the matter in hand. Polybius project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Walbank is emeritus professor of ancient history and classical archaeology, university of liverpool. The vast erudition of walbank and habicht are frequently apparent. He was born in bingley, yorkshire, and died in cambridge. The publication of the first volume of walbanks polybius is an important event in the history of modern scholarship.
While thus agreeing with walbank that polybiuss notion of tyche cannot be characterised under one single heading, different from walbank i suggest that polybius offers two different meanings of. The introduction includes sections on polybius biography, the content of the history, the nature and use of sources and documents, the treatment of historical agents speeches, polybius ideas on historical causality, the historians job, historical reliability, and historiographical principles, as well as his views on fortune tyche. Crates was detained in rome because he broke his leg while inspecting a sewer cloaca maxima, and during this stay he delivered a series of influential lectures. Polybius a historical commentary by walbank abebooks. Though the 1930s and 1940s was the period where walbank s. Far from having renounced his political interests in order to write his commentary on polybius, walbank s examination of the decline of ancient societies both greek and roman is deeply embedded within walbank s wider political and social concerns. The substance of polybius work is based on historical information and conveys his role as a historian. Walbank, a historical commentary on polybius oxford 19671979. This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry, running heads in walbank s reprint have been converted to chapter titles, and titles have been added, usually from the marginal notes, for chapters without them. While things hung in the balance, syme, writing from turkey, backed out of the tacitus commentary. Walbank, a historical commentary on polybius i oxford.
Whenever you get stuck with what polybius actually meant when he said something, you are really hoping walbank picked up the problem, discussed it and can point you in the right direction on who else said what about it. His history is our most important source for the momentous halfcentury during which the romans weathered the war with hannibal and became masters of the. The press, with only one moneylosing, large scale commentary at hand, gave walbank his choice of. The passage under question is the initial clause of the agreement made between rome and carthage ca. The histories of polybius book one translated by evelyn s. Historiographic patterns and historical obstacles in polybius. Author of the hellenistic world, the awful revolution, the awful revolution. A historical commentary on polybius hardcover january 1, 1999 by f. This chapter takes as its startingpoint walbanks writings on greek decline. This text was converted to electronic form by professional data entry, running heads in walbanks reprint have been converted to chapter titles, and titles have been added, usually from the marginal notes, for chapters without them. Walbanks commentary is more useful to historical and historiographical investigation rather than to a full understanding of polybius language. Project muse promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. His the histories starts in 264 bc and finishes off in 146 bc. Greek cartography in the early roman world rome about 168 b.