Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The Rise of the Roman Empire


Our book today is The Rise of the Roman Empire (for want of a better title) by the first century b.c. historian Polybius, a Greek living among the best and brightest of his Roman conquerors.

Polybius was born sometime toward the end of the third century b. c. at Megalopolis, in primitive, untamed Arcadia, which belonged to the venerable Achaean League of states. His family was prominent, and he received an excellent though old-fashioned education in the old Arcadian way: hunting and drinking and boy-chasing, with very little emphasis placed on the pallid disciplines of the library and the lamp. We don't know at what point those disciplines began to exert their own pull of young Polybius' mind; it may have been around 182 b.c., when the young man was given the singular honor of bearing the ashes of Philopoemon (one of the greatest of all Achaeans) in funeral procession. Certainly at some point, probably shortly afterwards, Polybius wrote a massive biography of Philopoemon, now lost to us but very well known to ancient writers.

Epic composition wasn't his only accomplishment in those murky early years, however; by 170 b. c. Polybius had become prominent enough in the Achaean League to achieve the rank of commander of cavalry, and this was a problematic thing to have on your resume at the time, since the Romans had been at war with Macedon for a couple of years. When Macedon was defeated, in 168, the Romans swept through the whole of the Peloponnese with political retributions, including summoning about a thousand Achaeans into custody in Italy, including Polybius.

Most of these detainees - none of whom was ever given a trial or even much of a reason for their detainment, other than their nationality and being on the losing side - were given quarters of varying degrees of comfort in southern Etruria, but Polybius was luckier: for sixteen years, he was under the most genteel of house-arrests in custody of the family of Aemilius Paulus, the commander of the forces that had finally defeated Macedon. The great man's young son was Publius Scipio, with whom Polybius developed a friendship and working relationship, a mentorship of remarkable depth and flexibility. Scipio and brother Fabius suddenly found in their midst this man of immense experience and hard-won wisdom, and perhaps it's only natural they felt a bit of rivalry for his attention. In fact, Polybius could date his friendship with young Scipio to some surprising comments Scipio made to him after dinner one day, comments dealing directly with that rivalry, all of which Polybius himself relates to us:

One day when the three of them were leaving Fabius' house, Fabius happened to turn off toward the Forum, while Polybius and Scipio walked off in a different direction. As they were walking along, Scipio, blushing a little, asked Polybius in a hesitant voice, "Sir, why is it that when you're at a meal with my brother and me, you address all your comments to him, all your questions and conversation to him, not noticing me at all? It's starting to look as though you have the same opinion of me as everybody else: that I'm withdrawn and lazy, that I'm not a proper gung-ho Roman just because I don't plead cases in the law courts. 'His family doesn't need that kind of representative, people say, and it really irritates me."

Polybius was shocked by the young man's comments, for the boy was only eighteen years old. "By Jove, young Scipio," he replied, "what are you saying? You mustn't think such things - I don't do the things you say because I have a poor opinion of you, far from it. It's just that your brother is the older, and I assumed you shared the same thoughts and reactions. I'm amazed to hear different, and I'm delighted to learn that you're bothered by the possibility people might think you unworthy of your family - it shows you have spirit. I would be very, very happy to devote myself to helping you change that impression, helping you act and think in ways worthy of your ancestors."

Scipio might have been young, but he was no fool: he accepted gladly and used Polybius as a close advisor for the rest of the man's life, although always allowing him the freedom to travel, explore, and write on his own. Though thus deeply enmeshed in Roman affairs, Polybius never stopped caring about Greece and his beloved Achaean League - although their fractiousness and frequent lack of judgement predictably exasperated him. The great ancient travel-writer Pausanius records an inscription he saw in Lycosura: "Greece would never have suffered if she' listened to Polybius, and it was only through him that her suffering was relieved."

Polybius' subject is the rise of Rome to unparalleled power in the Mediterranean and beyond, a rise he follows through the epic events of the First Punic War and the Second Punic War, with liberal and lengthy digressions along the way for a wide variety of subjects (perhaps the most famous - and certainly the most excerpted - of which is his treatise on the Roman constitution, a treatise that cast a long shadow on the events of ensuing centuries, up to and most certainly including the American Revolution). His style is less fluid than that of Roman historian Livy (whose surviving works cover a great deal of the same subject matter), but his historical method - pursued at a time when the idea was still in its comparative infancy - is much more satisfyingly rigid.

There is no popular edition currently in print of all that survives in the single manuscript of Polybius, but the Penguin Classic (as is so often the case), translated by Ian Scott-Kilvert, will serve nicely as an introduction to the man and his work. That has been the bedrock task of the Penguin Classic series for lo, these many decades, and here as always they do their work admirably. Oxford World's Classics, so far as we know, never got around to Polybius, but you should!

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could this be a little preview of your year with the Romans?

I await more!

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.kfarbair.com][img]http://www.kfarbair.com/_images/logo.png[/img][/url]

מלון [url=http://www.kfarbair.com]כפר בעיר[/url] - אינטימיות, [url=http://kfarbair.com/services.html]שקט[/url] . אנו מספקים שירותי אירוח מגוונים כמו כן ישנו במקום שירות חדרים המכיל [url=http://www.kfarbair.com/eng/index.html]אחרוחות רומנטיות[/url] במחירים מפתיעים אשר יוגשו ישירות לחדרכם.

לפרטים אנא גשו לאתרנו - [url=http://kfarbair.com]כפר בעיר[/url] [url=http://www.kfarbair.com/contact.html][img]http://www.kfarbair.com/_images/apixel.gif[/img][/url]

Anonymous said...

Gusto casinos? ask this puerile [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] shrink from and fake online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also repair on top of our up to fixture [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] touch at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and make bear witness to incredibly misled !
another late-model [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] place is www.ttittancasino.com , in function of of german gamblers, frame a boob in magnanimous online casino bonus.

Anonymous said...

[url=http://sopriventontes.net/][img]http://tonoviergates.net/img-add/euro2.jpg[/img][/url]
[b]acdsee crack, [url=http://tonoviergates.net/]free reseller software[/url]
[url=http://tonoviergates.net/]cheap oem softwares[/url] acdsee standard Poser 7 Mac
acdsee for mac [url=http://sopriventontes.net/]oem vs retail software[/url] order request software
[url=http://tonoviergates.net/]software selling tips[/url] autocad hatch patterns
[url=http://sopriventontes.net/]purchase software through[/url] where to buy adobe software
FileMaker Pro 10 Advanced [url=http://tonoviergates.net/]cheap academic software[/url][/b]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.c-medical.biz/]buy cialis[/url] and [url=http://www.medical-250l.biz/]viagra online[/url] at the finest and most trusted generic drugs online pharmacies : www.c-meical.biz and www.medical-250.biz ,
look at our ungentlemanly prices in behalf of viagra, cialis, levitra and more drugs online.

Anonymous said...

Predilection casinos? digging this sprouts [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] usher and carry off up online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also save up our modish [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] muddle be means of at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and astonish accurate chances !
another adscititious [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] mark of is www.ttittancasino.com , in compensation german gamblers, confine in manumitted [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]online casino[/url] bonus. so check this leading [url=http://www.omniget.co.il]online casino[/url] for free [url=http://www.casinosaction.com]casino bonus[/url] and 100's of online [url=http://www.thecasino.co.il]casino[/url] games.

Anonymous said...

I must digg your article so more folks can see it, really useful, I had a hard time finding the results searching on the web, thanks.

- Thomas

Anonymous said...

I seldom leave comments on blog, but I have been to this post which was recommend by my friend, lots of valuable details, thanks again.

viagra online said...

I have been reading this blog since the first edition, and I think you are one of the best bloggers in this category, it's all about good comics and writers too, so this'll be my best website to visit it.

viagra online said...

Th roman empire !! the most tyrannic in the story of the human kind,I wonder why they loss the power.

Anonymous said...

Payday loans are all in all referred to as cash abets, advance KP has had their doors open for acting. [url=http://paydayloanscoolp.co.uk]pay day loans online[/url] However, generally, these loans are preferred for anteposition such as becoming the best option for you. You can be at accordance with I once you are able to Ciceronian your Roger often the most suitable solu-tion for assorted most people, nevertheless they be necessary not blossoming to be adjunct of your long-term Scotch arranging. Once their amassing evidence is successfully completed, the results will let them know the demands of actual consumers.

Anonymous said...

5. If you encourage your visitors to write their original reviews about your products instead of coping reviews from competitive websites to show you have circulation and satisfied customers, your website is
more likely to earn higher ranking in the major
search engines. Content, keywords and link building are
some of the factors using which Search Engine Optimization services are taken care of.

The main aim of SEO is to get search engines positioning a certain website well in results for specific keywords.
A client can also seek troubleshooting services from SEO experts
if their site is blacklisted by Google or their search engine
rankings start to drop. Meta Name and Meta Description Tags are two of the important
ones. Instead, the developer should concentrate on the functions
mentioned in this article first, as they are
the basis for further extension of the Word - Press header file.
Having realized that it is practically not possible to combat with SEO Next in terms of services and offerings at this point of time,
rivals have started thinking of an easier alternative of being
successful in their mission. Configure You - Tube settings
by changing the default settings to your preferred and secure preferences.
) of links. Arrange the H1, H2 and H3 tags serially with
proper hierarchy. Don't Forget to Replace the Default Favicon with Your Logo. The SEO agencies must take care of the fact that the traffic is getting converted to potential customers. You can find several internet marketing companies across the world. And, as more and more companies move larger portions of their advertising budgets to internet marketing, there is an even greater demand for their skills. Why. 4) Managing your online business. Once someone clicks on your site, they should see tons of unique informative content. The website serves as a way for customers to find the business and be able to see what services are offered. ============ More at: Comment "Smartly" & Increase Page Views: Writing Essentials 8.
my web page :: click through the next website

Anonymous said...

I realize that there is not a ton of variety in this list, since Rogue
and i - Net - Hack are essentially the same and Sorcerer #1 and #2
are more overtly the same. Real game, real people, real thrill and of
course real money; is all about online gaming, the perfect place to fulfill
your desire to be a multi millionaire. Even when things seem hopeless, Kiko's narration provides some great comedy relief.

Look into my site kostenlos spiele spielen

Anonymous said...

woodworking plans , http://woodworkingplans1.com/#nearvemes ted woodworking

Anonymous said...

However, the number of apps is steadily rising, and if Nokia continues to put
out quality phones like the Lumia 900, we may see developers take more notice and the number of apps will rise accordingly.
Thus professional firms for web development in London are better
got in touch with. Still, Lich King is not devoid of its flaws.
With an average annual fee of 10,000 pounds, representing between 25% - 36% of professional
incomes this has risen assiduously by 41% in the last five years. Overall I'll say the game isn't that re playable. For an in depth guide to the E8400 chip, I highly recommend reading this article: Final Thoughts on the Intel E8400. They will check into a purpose built sports complex 8 miles from the venue of their first match in Rustenburg. That assures a steady supply since it's easily replaceable. Today, the company has over 1. I died numerous times because of the stupid reload system.

Stop by my web site - HELP CETL Moodle Playground: Personal profile: Deborah Jolley - In Maintenance.

Anonymous said...

Without the internet, this is not possible to play
these novoline games online and even they can't live online that they perform now with public for additional characteristics and completely attractive in a delusion earth to participate in a game. A look into some of the best Star Wars apps to be found on i - Tunes, including games, fun soundboards, books, and more. In our next article, we'll be tackling using SNES4i - Phone to do exactly that - play those old favorites, like Chono Trigger, Super Ghouls
and Ghosts, or even Super Mario Bros 3.

my web-site: online radio

Anonymous said...

I don't even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don't know ωho you are but ԁefinitelу you аre going to a fаmous blοgger if you aren't already ;) Cheers!

Also visit my homepage - This Webpage

Anonymous said...

Hey, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!

Other then that, awesome blog!

Feel free to visit my blog :: radio sender

Anonymous said...

I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here.
The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. nonetheless,
you command get bought an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following.
unwell unquestionably come further formerly again as exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you
shield this hike.

Feel free to visit my homepage ... http://wallinside.com/post-3066200.html

Anonymous said...

While it is one thing to have a social media profile on
an online community like Deviant - ART, it is a whole other thing entirely
to have fitted it with an effective SEO strategy. If the executives promise high traffic then understand
you are talking with a non-SEO person. This is what professionals
do. Naturally, they will flock to your competitor who does.
If you simply copy the original manufacturer's description, you don't
add value to your product and you certainly don't add your personal touch that can make you stand out from your competitors. The major preference is for offshore SEO companies as they offer SEO at the most competitive prices. Social networking Optimization Websites which include Facebook and You - Tube could be the latest examples of how "personal" websites can be appropriated for business. This is because there is a stiff competition in this particular field and the market is flooded with lots of firms that provide proficient SEO experts India services at the economical costs. Make buying easy for the customer and they will return often. ) of links. So, most move slowly when deciding on who becomes the company's SEO.
He has also mentioned each and every seo service.
Effective SEO techniques for Bloggers aren't any different. Regardless of whether you like it, love it, or hate it, social media has become a major player in the SEO world, and it is a costly mistake to ignore it. And, as more and more companies move larger portions of their advertising budgets to internet marketing, there is an even greater demand for their skills. It has been designed especially for business purposes and it holds biggest importance for your B2B online marketing strategy. The World Wide Web is an incredible source of customers and potential revenue for all types of businesses and companies in all niches. When a person enters a keyword into the search box of a particular search engine such as Google, there will be scores of results showing out which are a result of a search engine algorithm devised by that particular search engine. The website serves as a way for customers to find the business and be able to see what services are offered. November 2012.

Feel free to visit my weblog: seo advertising costs
Also see my web site: http://blessbook.com/profiles/103446/

Anonymous said...

Hey! I know this is somewhat off-topic however I needed to ask.
Does building a well-established blog such as yours take a lot of work?

I am brand new to running a blog however I do write in my journal everyday.
I'd like to start a blog so I can easily share my experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind of ideas or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!

Also visit my site :: radiosender

Anonymous said...

Whаt I ԁiԁn't know was how I would get all of what I wanted in just six hours. Also, by having a radio internship in your resume, there is a better chance for you to become a DJ when you apply for a job in any radio station in the nation. A MOBILE APP GIVES THE STATION A DIRECT MARKETING CHANNEL TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR LISTENERS.

Feel free to surf to my webpage kostenlos spiele spielen

Anonymous said...

I realize that there is not a ton of variety in this list, since Rogue and i - Net -
Hack are essentially the same and Sorcerer #1 and #2 are more overtly the same.
You will eventually run into the Download Location menu with two options:
Wii System Menu and SD Card. However, make sure that your
phone is equipped with a powerful processor to enable deeper
searches and devise a strategy to give a challenging
game of chess.

My web blog: online radio

Anonymous said...

In short, they become obsessed by the grass is always greener syndrome where everyone else's relationship and their own past lovers are elevated to the status of perfection. Since the controversial introduction of the format in 2003 its growing popularity now prompts the question of threat to the traditional test format. If you have ever tried to kid yourself that everything will be fine and glossed over certain issues because you wanted to avoid them, or did not know how to deal with them. When it comes to bridging your skills gap in gaming world then you can do anything to prove yourself. Cons. Originally established as a sanctuary for the Nilgiri Tahr, the 'The Eravikulam National Park' has now turned into a highly popular tourist spot. This was the time when broadband internet was still in its infancy and uploading the revised pages could be nothing short of tedious with a slow phone line connectivity. It works across Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, and Maxi - Vista surprised me by how well it worked with it. Vision for Space Exploration Cover by NASA used under Public Domain. There is a rarely discussed addiction that can be as enslaving as drugs and as devastating to self-respect, self-confidence and healthy functioning as alcoholism.

my blog post carronline.com.br

Anonymous said...

Obvіously, you'll be able to go to sites as You - Tube at which you might locate lots of funny vids. Another thing you'll
need is some strеngth to enduгe, because there's a good chance you'll be your own proԁucer for the show οr perhapѕ the best produceг the show has.
Thеѕе inсluԁe the artist-branԁеd musiс сhannels such as The Grateful Dеad
Chаnnel, Еminеm's Shade 45, Jimmy Buffett's Radіo Maгgarіtаville; there is еven the clasѕical music Metropolitan Opеra Radio сhannel.


Look into my page: cannawiki.org
my webpage :: spiele spielen kostenlos

Anonymous said...

Tennis balls, wiffle balls, ping pong balls, and golf balls can also
be used. WIFI:Als Verbindungsmoglichkeiten ins Internet stehen Ihnen WIFI wireless lan zu Verfugung.

You'll have to keep the phone close (on the bed or in an armband) for the app to work.

Stop by my blog post :: videos von youtube downloaden
My site: internetradio

Anonymous said...

Without the internet, this is not possible to play these
novoline games online and even they can't live online that they perform now with public for additional characteristics and completely attractive in a delusion earth to participate in a game. Resident Evil 2 is the undisputed king daddy in the world of early survival horror. The reason for this rather strange feature is that, as described above, apps in the Android Market are listed as they are submitted, without any testing.

Feel free to visit my web blog :: spiele spielen

Anonymous said...

Although уοu can't go back to any songs, you can skip songs, mark them as ones you like or dislike, and browse the names, bands, and CD the song is on of all the songs that have played already. While the effects of antenna polarization may be interpreted as a reduction in the quality of some radio links, some radio designers often make use of this property to tune an antenna to their needs by restricting transmission or reception to signals on a limited number of vectors. In much the same way, two-way radio rental offers businesses and individuals substantial savings in money, time and resources that equipment ownership never will.

Take a look at my site :: http://tulsaga-occupytulsa.dotcloud.com/activity/p/279361

Anonymous said...

Rather,all the applications keep running in the
background although in a low power state,utilizing both processing power and memory that leads to a lower
battery life. If you don't want to use Safari to navigate to pages, zoom in, and read articles, Byline may be just the app for you. Pingbatterys battery administration program (BMS) might have the line of Light emitting diodes visible.

Also visit my homepage :: video downloader

Anonymous said...

Really when someone doesn't know after that its up to other users that they will help, so here it occurs.

my web blog sizzling hot online kostenlos
My site > sizzling hot online kostenlos

Anonymous said...

Without the internet, this is not possible to play these novoline games
online and even they can't live online that they perform now with public for additional characteristics and completely attractive in a delusion earth to participate in a game. Resident Evil 2 is the undisputed king daddy in the world of early survival horror. In our next article, we'll be tackling
using SNES4i - Phone to do exactly that - play those old favorites, like Chono Trigger, Super Ghouls and Ghosts, or even Super Mario Bros
3.

Here is my web blog myvideo downloader

Anonymous said...

buy generic ativan lorazepam 1mg anwendung - ativan addiction how long

Anonymous said...

Use the Price of the Item New to Make an Accurate Guess.

If your new found Bulk REO source does not have what you are
looking for, don't give up. However Cash for Electronic Scrap do not accept whole PCU, hard drives, laptops, VCRs, monitors, single boards, camcorders and digital cameras.

Also visit my web blog andersen windows

Anonymous said...

But also since then, we as a country, and as just as well, a world, have become basically addicted and dependent on our radios.
Perhaps there is a news broadcast you want to check, or perhaps a vital sports game you cannot miss.
Do I have a niche or speciality that is going to make
my station unique and successful.

My web site :: internet radio

Anonymous said...

In addition to this, now you can listen to the radios
online, which is already getting to be pretty popular. Pandora is free (ad-supported), but you can buy an upgrade for no ads and other improvements.
With the Worldmate Nokia 5800 Xpress - Music application you can keep
track of the current times in up to five different cities worldwide at a go.


Check out my web-site - internet radio

Anonymous said...

However, you must know how to be able to effectively utilize the tools for you to essentially fully use
the website. You can also change how many are displayed in this box.

Anyone with a fire in the belly can achieve something through Facebook
marketing.

My web page; simply click for source

Anonymous said...

Hi, after reading this remarkable paragraph i am as well cheerful
to share my knowledge here with mates.

Stop by my website bokk of ra

Anonymous said...

I do not even know how I ended up right here, however I assumed this post was once good.
I don't know who you are however certainly you're going to a famous
blogger for those who are not already. Cheers!

Stop by my weblog ... Waist to Height ratio ranges

Anonymous said...

These are actually great ideas in on the topic of
blogging. You have touched some pleasant things
here. Any way keep up wrinting.

My website; writing seo articles

Anonymous said...

I like the helpful info you provide in your articles. I'll bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I'm quite certain I'll learn lots of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

Here is my web page: seo companies

Anonymous said...

Wonderful blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News.
Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I've been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thank you

my webpage: mens vestal watches

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, what a website it is! This web site gives useful data to us, keep it
up.

my blog :: book of raw kostenlos spielen

Anonymous said...

I like the valuable info you provide in your articles.
I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently.
I'm slightly sure I'll be told many new stuff right right here!
Best of luck for the following!

Here is my blog post: book of ra kostenlos spielen one anmelden

Anonymous said...

I think what you posted made a lot of sense. But, what about this?
what if you composed a catchier title? I mean, I don't want to tell you how to run your blog, however what if you added a post title that grabbed a person's attention?
I mean "The Rise of the Roman Empire" is kinda plain. You ought to look at Yahoo's front page and note how they write news headlines to get viewers interested. You might try adding a video or a related picture or two to get people interested about everything've got to say.
In my opinion, it might make your posts a little livelier.


Also visit my page - book of ra app android

Anonymous said...

My family members every time say that I am wasting my time here at web, except I know I am getting experience all the time by reading thes nice posts.


my homepage book ra Testen

Anonymous said...

Aw, this was a very nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to
generate a top notch article… but what can I say… I
procrastinate a whole lot and don't manage to get nearly anything done.

my homepage :: http://wapindra.nazuka.net

Anonymous said...

I blog quite often and I really thank you for your information.

This article has truly peaked my interest. I will book
mark your site and keep checking for new details
about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed too.


Feel free to surf to my web-site :: Book Of Ra Apk Boerse

Anonymous said...

Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I
stumbleupon everyday. It's always useful to read through content from other authors and practice something from other sites.

Here is my page :: books of ra Online (yyzblog.com)

Anonymous said...

Wow, wonderful weblog format! How lengthy have you been running a blog for?
you made running a blog look easy. The overall glance
of your web site is fantastic, let alone the content!


Here is my weblog ... novoline automaten knacken ()