Polybius, this is historical work

The read of think about policy of Polyibius(206 b.Ch-118 b.Ch), he was a Greek ancient historical and he told about much wars of Roman empire, and today we have alone five books of his Historias, this histories, about Punic wars; but interesting is that he in this book about method work of historical he expresses some concept that today should be normal for historical work, but often lack, this is truth about question more or less important, he says: “I let that historical can inclines to his town but no certainly that they make false tales for an own gain”, this question, very ancient and today actual again, shows how that historical lie is very ancient, and above all for same motive, favours or gain; this is important for to understand, and Polybius advises to reader about it, that: “Then readers must diligently to understand this lies and the historical must avoid it”; this is no certainly original advise, but simply a right historical work. This concept he repeated in other step of this book, and he says: “…and neither we must trust to historical that subordinates historical truth to own interest”, and “The history joins very much persons and future generations, while discourses are to present occasion alone, so historical must consider very much truth…”. Other advises he given, this is: “Two genders are about lie, one is for ignorance and other for will. We must forgive lie for ignorance but we must turn away who lies for will”. Certainly these advises are today normal behaviour, but we must consider that often these advises are forgotten because we have some interest so that this forgetfulness happens, therefore Polybius was right when he says that everyone has interest and because of this interest we forgotten; then Polybius is very nasty, because he says to man what are men.

Alessandro Lusana