The Histories

What it is

Written by the Greek historian Polybius around the mid-2nd century BC, The Histories originally filled 40 books, of which only a portion survives complete. Polybius had been taken to Rome as a hostage and used his time there to research and write about Rome's rise to power, drawing on interviews with survivors of the wars and his own travels along Hannibal's Alpine route.

Why it matters

This is considered the earliest and most reliable surviving account of Hannibal's campaigns against Rome. Because Polybius talked to people who had lived through the events and tried to verify the route Hannibal took over the Alps, historians trust his account more than later, more legendary versions. It shows how ancient writers tried to explain Rome's success partly through analysing Carthage's great rival general.

Look closer

• Why might a Greek writer living under Roman power still try to write a balanced account of Rome's enemies?
• What advantages did Polybius have in researching this history that most ancient historians lacked?
• What parts of Hannibal's story might still be missing, since large sections of the original 40 books are lost?