Part 1/5:
The Rise and Fall of Civilizations: Polybius' Theory of Anacyclosis
The Riddle of Rome's Conquest
Polybius, a Greek historian living in the 2nd century BC, was deeply troubled by the rapid rise of the Roman Republic and its conquest of the Greek world. How could the supposedly "uncivilized" Romans have triumphed so swiftly over the sophisticated and powerful Hellenistic kingdoms?
Polybius devoted his life to answering this riddle, writing a massive 40-volume history of Rome's expansion across the Mediterranean. As a hostage in Rome for 16 years, he gained unique insights into both the Greek and Roman perspectives.