Polybius was a Greek historian and political writer of the Hellenistic period, living in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
Polybius was a Greek historian and political writer of the Hellenistic period. He was born in approximately 110 BC in Megalopolis, Arcadia, and died in approximately 118 BC in Rome. His family is said to have been well-to-do, and he was related to the year-round ruling class of Megalopolis. He was well-qualified for the position he held as a member of the royal court; he was educated mainly at home, and attended lectures at the Lyceum
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It is believed that he had good health and a strong constitution throughout his life, although there is no mention of any serious illness or injury. His personality and character were probably above average; he was not only intelligent but also very good-natured, kindhearted, and generous. According to his own account Polybius was initially drawn to politics because he wanted to defend his country from Rome's encroachments.
He became an ardent proponent of democracy as practiced during its early days by Athens. As the Romans conquered Greece, Polybius's sympathies remained with the Greeks who had resisted them until their defeat at Corinth in 146 BC. Polybius remained at Corinth until it fell to Scipio Aemilianus, after which he returned to Athens where he became friends with another politician named Demetrius Phalereus who maintained that it would be more beneficial for Greece if she remained independent of Rome rather than submit herself to Roman domination.
They then traveled together through Thessaly where they heard rumors that Demetrius' uncle Philopoemen had been murdered by pro-Roman supporters of Philopatrus on his return from Macedonia. They decided on vengeance for this act by means of conspiracy against Philopatrus' life on their arrival back in Corinth before they continued on to Athens where they were received warmly by Polybius' friend Athenion who persuaded them that they should poison Philopoemen instead of killing him outright as they intended doing previously. After that they went on to Argos where Polybius attacked Athenion's integrity but failed to carry out his orders faithfully enough to please himself entirely; nevertheless, when Philopoemen died some time later Polybius felt justified in claiming that he had always hated him sincerely anyway so it didn't really matter what happened anyway since there was
