Polybius

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Polybius was a 2nd-century BCE Greek historian best known for his work "The Histories," which analyzed the rise of the Roman Republic and introduced influential ideas about mixed constitutions and the separation of powers.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Polybius canonical 50

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient Greek historian
historiographer
political theorist
aimOfHistory to provide practical lessons for statesmen and generals
analyzedPolity Carthage
Greek city-states
Roman Republic
associatedWith Scipionic Circle
birthDate c. 200 BCE
capturedAsHostageBy Rome
centuryActive 2nd century BCE
culturalSphere Hellenistic period
surface form: Hellenistic Greece
deathDate c. 118 BCE
ethnicity Greek
friendOf Scipio Aemilianus
genre historiography
historicalPeriodDescribed Macedonian Wars
Punic Wars
influenceOn United States Founding Fathers
surface form: American Founding Fathers

Montesquieu
Renaissance political theory
Roman political thought
early modern constitutional theory
knownFor Polybius’ Histories
surface form: The Histories

analysis of the rise of the Roman Republic
ideas related to separation of powers
theory of mixed constitution
language Ancient Greek
mainWork Polybius’ Histories
surface form: The Histories
methodology autopsy (first-hand investigation)
critical use of sources
pragmatic history
name Polybius self-link
nameInGreek Πολύβιος
numberOfBooksInMainWork 40
occupation historian
military analyst
statesman
placeOfBirth Megalopolis
politicalTheoryConcept anacyclosis (cycle of constitutions)
balance of powers
mixed constitution
regionOfOrigin Arcadia
subjectOfWork history of the Mediterranean world
rise of Roman power
timeSpanCoveredInMainWork 264–146 BCE
workAlternativeTitle Polybius’ Histories
surface form: The Histories
workTitle Histories
writingStyle analytical
didactic

Referenced by (50)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Book III: Polybius inspiredBy Polybius
Livy influencedBy Polybius
Bastarnae mentionedInSource Polybius
Cassius Dio influencedBy Polybius
Polybius’ Histories author Polybius
Mago Barca knownFrom Polybius
Illyrians mentionedBy Polybius
Aetolians mentionedBy Polybius
Bruttii historicalSource Polybius
Polybius name Polybius self-link
Maharbal historicalSource Polybius
Scipionic Circle hasMember Polybius
Insubres mentionedBy Polybius
Ambracia mentionedBy Polybius
Histories preservedIn Polybius
subject surface form: Histories (Timaeus)
Histories criticizedBy Polybius
subject surface form: Histories (Timaeus)
Mercenary War primarySource Polybius
Carthago Nova mentionedBy Polybius
De militia Romana usesSource Polybius
Sikyon mentionedBy Polybius
Pellene mentionedBy Polybius
Illyrian Wars primarySource Polybius
Agron sourceMention Polybius
Acarnanians mentionedBy Polybius
Perrhaebia mentionedBy Polybius