The Histories
Written by Jonathan Black
Narrated by Jonathan Booth
()
About this audiobook
In short, first of all it overcame the established Carthaginian Empire despite the remarkable exploits of Hannibal. And, largely at the same time, it gradually subjugated the many and varied city states of Greece, despite various allied opposition.
The rise of Rome is one of the great stories of world history, and fortunately, we have a reliable and at times an eyewitness account, from the Greek historian Polybius of Megalopolis (c200 BCE-c117 BCE). In The Histories, Polybius set out to present as full an account as he could, with the historical background, the causes of disagreement leading to conflict, the main naval and land battles and the acts of heroism, cowardice, imagination and folly.
In addition, he provided lucid explanations of the diplomacy, the treaties and portraits of the main personalities. He encompassed the whole story in 40 books, a considerable undertaking. He started his tale in 264 BCE as Rome challenged Carthage and concluded with the capture of Corinth in 146 BCE. It is a century (and more) of almost continuous conflict in one field or another. These were brutal times of torture, slaughter, enslavement, where power was wielded for dominance, but there were examples of honourable engagement and considered diplomacy. Extended periods of warfare brought new military ideas and tactics, as Rome learned to combat Carthaginian expertise on sea and on land. Siege machinery was developed on both sides (the skills of Archimedes in the defence of Syracuse is mentioned) and the famous Greek phalanx was pitted against the Roman legions.
Polybius reports on the main confrontations with the authority of a man who was present at many events and also visited historic sites of importance to ensure his accounts of the past were accurate. In The Histories, he gives rounded portraits of the important figures of Hannibal and other Carthaginian generals: of Scipio Africanus (who finally stopped Hannibal at the Battle of Zama) and other Roman general, of Philip V of Macedon, of Antiochus the Great, ruler of the Seleucid Empire and of the Ptolemies of Egypt.
The rise of Rome is a story of two main arenas - the West (Carthage, Spain, Northern Italy and Illyria) and the East - Greece! In trying to maintain some kind of chronological flow, Polybius has little option but to switch the focus from one to another, sometimes at short notice! This problem is exacerbated by the fact that The Histories has survived only in part.
The first five books exist in full. Most of book six, with its important review of the Roman constitution and military system, has also survived. Of the rest we have fragments of varying lengths (though nothing for books 17, 19, 37, 40). This makes for some challenging moments as ‘chapters' can switch from one focus to another at a swift pace, especially with the way the vivid reports and analysis from Polybius maintain the thrust of the narrative.
Ukemi Audiobooks here presents, for the first time on audio, the unabridged Polybius - everything that has survived - in the excellent translation by W. R. Paton. There is additional material too. It opens with 'The Life of Polybius' by H. J. Edwards. And it closes with the classic survey of Polybius and his work by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh, which includes 'The Sources of Polybius' History' and an overview of 'The Achaean League' which played a key r
Jonathan Black
Jonathan Black—real name Mark Booth—was born in Cambridge, UK, and educated at Oriel College, Oxford, where he read Philosophy and Theology. He works in publishing and publishes many bestselling authors and cultural icons. He also publishes many prominent authors in the MBS and ‘alternative history’ fields, including Graham Hancock, Lorna Byrne, Mooji and Rupert Sheldrake. As an author he has sold over half a million books in the English language and his work has been translated into twenty-one languages. The Secret History of the World was a New York Times bestseller. Booth has given lectures and interviews at the Royal Academy, Maastricht University and the Marion Institute in Massachusetts. He has been widely interviewed on radio and TV, including BBC Radio 4’s Today and Coast to Coast in the US. He has written articles for the Independent on Sunday, English National Opera, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and Mind Body Spirit.
More audiobooks from Jonathan Black
The Heretic's Handbook Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Lord's Supper: Our Promised Place of Intimacy and Transformation with Jesus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Histories
Related audiobooks
The Secret History Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEgyptology: The History and Legacy of the Modern Study of Ancient Egypt Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Roman Emperor Aurelian: Restorer of the World: New Revised Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Roman Empire in Crisis, 248-260: When the Gods Abandoned Rome Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPhoenician Language and Writing: The History and Legacy of the Ancient World’s Most Influential Script Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmpire of the Black Sea: The Rise and Fall of the Mithridatic World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nerva-Antonine Dynasty: The History and Legacy of the Emperors Who Ruled the Roman Empire at Its Peak Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Parallel Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans Vol. 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Last Kings of Macedonia and the Triumph of Rome Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmpires of the Steppes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBeacon Lights of History, Vol 3: Ancient Achievements Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTo Cuba and Back: A Vacation Voyage in 1859 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Vision Of Aridaeus Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe First Female Pharaoh: Sobekneferu, Goddess of the Seven Stars Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEternal Chalice: The Grail in Literature and Legend Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster: The History of the Search for the World Famous Monsters Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRuthless Rhymes for Heartless Homes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life of Apollonius of Tyana Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fulcanelli Master Alchemist - The Mystery of the Cathedrals Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Blood Star Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMetamorphosis or The Golden Ass Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJourney from This World to the Next Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The True History of Merlin the Magician Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Children of Athena: Greek writers and thinkers in the Age of Rome, 150 BC–AD 400 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beacon Lights of History, Vol 04: Imperial Antiquity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA 1940s Childhood: From Bomb Sites to Children's Hour Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Letters of Pliny the Younger Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSelected Papers on Anthropology, Travel, and Exploration Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Ancient History For You
The Epic of Gilgamesh Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Killing Jesus: A History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mary Magdalene: Women, the Church, and the Great Deception Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Meditations Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/51177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chariots of the Gods Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Volume I Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When God Had a Wife: The Fall and Rise of the Sacred Feminine in the Judeo-Christian Tradition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of An Empire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gnosticism: The History and Legacy of the Mysterious Ancient Religion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Histories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Underworld: The Mysterious Origins of Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Be: Life Lessons from the Early Greeks Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Roman History 101: From Republic to Empire Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Alexander the Great Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ancient Greece 101: Greek History, Myth, and Civilization Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Past Mistakes: How We Misinterpret History and Why it Matters Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Quetzalcoatl: The History and Legacy of the Feathered Serpent God in Mesoamerican Mythology Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Eternal City: A History of Rome Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Egyptian Mythology: A Concise Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Egyptian Myths Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for The Histories
0 ratings0 reviews