“I, Polybius of Megalopolis, was born in Megalopolis and lived in the era when the Romans were laying the foundations of their great empire—when they conquered Greece as well. When the Romans entered the Peloponnese and took Megalopolis, I was captured and ended up as a hostage of the conquerors in Rome. There I began to write the history of the known world up to my time. Since the age of Alexander the Great, the known world had expanded eastward. In my time (2nd century BC), with the rise of the Romans, it began to expand westward as well. Great roads connected bustling cities from East to West. Swift ships crossed the seas, sailing toward the most distant ports of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea…”
The third part of Polybius’ valuable historical narrative (3rd century BC) is presented by the program “Narratives” – “Stories and Tales for Children and Adults”, on Saturday, 25 April 2026, from 17:00 to 18:00 (Athens time) on Voice of Greece. Following the narration of the chapters “The First Roman Ship” and “The Libyan War”, the program continues with “The Geography of Italy” and “The Celts.”
This adaptation of the first volume, “Stories from Polybius for Children and Adults: The Greek and Roman World, 3rd Century BC” (Kedros Publications), is by Anthi Leousi and Andreas Spyrou, in a translation by N. D. Triantafyllopoulos, the translator of Polybius into Modern Greek. The book’s outstanding illustrations are by Elli Spania.
According to historiography, at a time when the known world had greatly expanded—first under Alexander the Great and later under Rome—Polybius (c. 203–120 BC) set out to write a Universal History. He wanted his History to have “truth as its guiding eye,” aiming to instruct rather than merely entertain or impress. In this first book, he presents the determined Romans and the exotic Celts, describing gripping events and harsh wars. He recounts how, when, and by whom the once-impregnable Sparta was first conquered. And since History always goes hand in hand with Geography, Polybius vividly unfolds before our eyes the Geography of the world—he was not a desk-bound historian. He traveled whenever he had the opportunity and gained firsthand knowledge of many regions of Asia, Europe, and Africa. [From the book’s back cover.]
Production – presentation: Maria Karagiannaki Iona
Broadcast: Saturday, 25 April 2026, 17:00–18:00 (Athens time)
