BASC70141 - Polybius’ Histories: From Greece to Rome

Course Description

Polybius (200-118 BC) in his Histories tell the story of the Roman Republic’s swift rise from a city-state controlling central Italy to an international super-power. In this course we’ll read the first six books of the Histories, which cover the situation in the Mediterranean world up to the beginning of the Second Punic War. As Polybius begins his history, Rome was a new and mostly unknown player in a world dominated in the east by the Greek kingdoms founded by Alexander the Great’s successors, and in the west by the powerful North African empire of Carthage. In the process of explaining how Rome faced (and ultimately overcame) these formidable opponents, Polybius provides insights on history, war, politics, and government that still resonate today.

Course Syllabus 

Notes

Online registration deadline: Thursday, June 16 at 5 pm CT

Remote courses require you to login to Canvas to access the Zoom Classroom. You will receive an invitation to join Canvas about a week before your course begins. Please visit the Liberal Arts Student Resources page to find step by step instructions for Canvas and Zoom: Online Learning Resources