The World in Turmoil: Greek Views of Roman Imperialism (Polybius, Histories 36.9)

In 149 B.C.E. the Romans undertook three important, unanticipated, and, in the end, shocking wars against Carthage, Macedon, and Greece. The Greek historian Polybius (200-118 B.C.E.) witnessed these developments and records in his Histories four contemporary Greek opinions on the Roman treatment of Carthage. Each view builds upon and responds to the previous argument. Polybius’ omission of his own explicit validation of any of these opinions has left scholars with conflicting interpretations of Polybius’ stance on Roman imperialism. I seek to reevaluate this passage, examining parallels within the extant Histories for each line of argumentation. I contextualize these views within their extant literary and historical context, showing the significance of their placement next to rumors about the pretender Andriscus, who instigated the concurrent Macedonian uprising against Rome, and the importance of Greece’s political situation. I conclude that Polybius presented these views for more immediate reasons than a straightforward endorsement or condemnation of Roman imperialism.

This event is Co-Sponsored by the John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics and the Department of History.