Moral Vision in the Histories of Polybius

"A major accomplishment. Eckstein's merit is to have demonstrated that Polybius was fully aware of the moral component of historiography and was able to reconcile this with the purposes of a responsible and critical scholarly historian."—Kurt Raaflaub, Director, Center for Hellenic Studies

"A major book on a major author, this fresh and stimulating interpretation represents a significant challenge to current specialist thinking. It forcefully raises the fundamental historiographic questions of praise and blame and the function of history."—Philip A. Stadter, Falk Professor in The Humanities, University of North Carolina

"In Polybius's Histories, as Eckstein so adroitly shows, politicians see their predecessors, even in defeat or failure, praised when they act nobly and responsibly, thus finding by example a code of ethical behavior and moral duty that remains a guide to conduct even in changin circumstances."—Richard Mitchell, author of Patricians and Plebians: The Origins of the Roman State (1990)

About the author

Arthur M. Eckstein is Professor of History at the University of Maryland

Summary

Arthur Eckstein's interpretation challenges the way Polybius' "Histories" have long been viewed. He argues that Polybius evaluates people and events as much from a moral viewpoint as from a pragmatic, utilitarian, or even Machiavellian one.

Product details

• Authors: Arthur M. Eckstein, Eckstein Arthur M.
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.02.1995
• EAN: 9780520085206
• ISBN: 978-0-520-08520-6
• No. of pages: 325
• Series: Studies in Demography; Hellenistic Culture and Society
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries; European History, POLITICAL SCIENCE / General, HISTORY / Europe / General, Ancient Greece, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, HISTORY / World, HISTORY / Ancient / Greece, General & world history, Politics & government, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Politics and government, Ancient History, General and world history, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval