Polybius

Polybius of Megalopolis (c. 200–118 BCE) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic period, best known for his *Histories*, a major account of Rome’s rise to dominance in the Mediterranean. Born in Megalopolis in Arcadia, he was active in the politics of the Achaean League. After Rome’s victory over Macedonia, Polybius was taken to Italy, where he lived for years and gained close access to leading Roman figures. His work combines narrative history with analysis of institutions, strategy, and causation, and it argues for careful use of evidence and eyewitness inquiry. Polybius later returned to Greece.