POLYBIUS, Greek historian•, son of Lycostas, a distinguished general and one of the heads of the Achzans: b. Megalo polis, Arcadia, about 205 B.C. ; d. about 120 B.C. He was educated for arms and political life, and when about 169 a.c the design of the Ro mans to make all the free states of Greece de-. pendent became evident, Polybius took part in all the measures for the preservation of their independence. When, therefore, after the sub jugation of Perseus (168), the Romans used less disguise, Polybius found himself among the 1,000 hostages whom the Achwans were obliged to deliver up to the Romans. His learn ing, virtues and talents soon gained him the favor of some of the most distinguished sena tors, especially Fabius and Scipio, the two sons of Paulus Nanilius. The hostages were not dismissed until 17 years had elapsed, when Polybius, who did not wish to see again his degraded country, remained in Rome, and en tered into the service of Scipio iEmilianus. He accompanied him on his expedition to Africa, and was a witness of the destruction of Car thage in 146. He then went to Greece, where the Achseans had become involved in a war with the Romans. After the Adman defeat he did much to obtain favorable terms of peace. His services were gratefully recognized by the erection of his statue in many towns. Po lybius is the author of a historical work from the 140th Olympiad (220 a.c.) to the overthrow of Grecian independence (146 an.). It con sisted of 38 books, besides two introductory books, containing a sketch of the Roman his tory from the taking of Rome by the Gauls. The first part of the work comprised a period of 53 years, from the beginning of the Second Punk War to the overthrow of the kingdom of Macedonia; the second part began with the war in Spain against the Celtiberians and Vac mans, and ended with the destruction of Corinth. Although the affairs of Rome are the
chief subject, contemporary occurrences in other countries are also related. We have of this great work only the first five books entire, and valuable fragments of the remaining books. Some of these fragments, as that containing an account of the Roman army, are of consider able length. In extent of political and military knowledge, Polybius is surpassed by no his torian of antiquity. To him is also attributed the introduction of didactic politics into his tory—that is, of that manner of writing his tory which, by intermingling views of the causes, occasions and effects of events, is a useful introduction to politics. On the other hand, his style is destitute of beauty, and the narrative interrupted by lengthy digressions, which weaken the artistic effect. Livy was much indebted to Polybins after he came to the Second Punic War. Cicero mentions a par ticular work of his on the Numantian Wan Casaubon, in 1609, published a complete edition of all that had till then been discovered of his works and made a new Latin translation of the whole. The most valuable editions of Polyb ins are those of Schweighauser (1789), Bekker (1844) ; L. Dindorf (1866-68) and Hultsch (1867-71). The history of Polybius has been well translated into English by Shuckburgh (1889).