The [Alternate] Histories of Polybios: A KH AAR

[Epimetheus]

Historiai Polybiou
The [Alternate] Histories of Polybios
(A Koinon Hellenon AAR)

A/N:

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Hi there! This AAR is a bit of an experiment on my part. Since I'm creating an alternative version of an existing history, I decided that, rather than create a pseudo-history, I would attempt to rewrite an existing one in order to suit it. All of the characters who will appear will be historical ones, but the rolls they play in the events that unfold may be radically different. I plan on keeping with Polybios' overall style, but I'll try to make it somewhat less tedious than the original, and possibly more abridged as well. I also plan to include plenty of pictures and maps, in order to keep it interesting, though I don't have any for this first post. I'll also include footnotes when needed, and maybe occasionally a timeline. I have no idea how often I'll update, as this seems a bit more tricky than simply writing it would be, but I hope to be able to keep at it.

Book 1.1 - Introduction

Were it ever the case that the chroniclers of the past neglected to sing the praises of history, it might be necessary for me to spend time promoting it's study. But all historians ceaselessly endeavor to show us that the most important education and training, particularly for a life of politics, is the study of past. Indeed, the surest, perhaps the only way to learn how to bravely bear the whims of fortune is to remember the misfortune of others.

So I see little point in repeating what has already been said so well by so many others. The very subject of my work, and the unexpectedness of the events I have chosen to record should be more than enough to inspire everyone, young or old, rich or poor, to pick up my systematic history. For I can imagine no way that anyone, no matter how ignorant or barbaric they may be, would not be curious as to how and under what sort of government we Hellenes managed to unite and free all of our cities from the Maeotis to the Pillars of Heracles in less than a century. Nor can I imagine any way that one could be so devoted to other interests as to view anything as being more important than this knowledge.

The period which I intend to cover presents a grand and striking the spectacle, which becomes most apparent when we compare the current Panhellenic hegemony to the most famous empires of the past. The Perses once held control over nearly all of Asia and Aigyptos, but they frequently over-stretched their empire, and their attempts to invade Skythia and Hellas would eventually lead to their demise. The Makedones under Alexandros briefly held sway over all of Hellas, Illyria, Thraikia, and the former Persian empire, but after his death quickly succumbed to division and civil war. In comparison to their size, the Koinon of the Hellenes can hardly compare. But it is not in terms of geography that the Hellenes became great, it is in our governance, military, and wealth, and in these regards the Koinon Hellenon has become immeasurably greater than any empire which preceded it.

While the Perses and Makedones did indeed hold sway over great swaths of land, it was always as tyrants and oppressors, and as such, their rule was forever plagued by instability and strife. But we Hellenes have succeeded in uniting all of the poleis, not through domination, but liberation and sympoliteia, and thus are not only free from rebellion, but have the collective will and power to defeat any rival. In the course of this work it will become more clear by what steps this greatness was achieved, and it will also be seen how many and how great advantages appear to the student from the systematic treatment of history.

The date from which I propose to begin my history is the 128th Olympiad [268-264 B.C.], and the events following the Second Hellenic, or Chremonidian War in Hellas, led by Chremonides of Athenai and Areus of Sparte against Antigonos Gonatas of Makedon, the Sikilian War between Syrakousai and Karchedon, leading up to the the foundation of the second Koinon Hellenon. These events roughly correspond to the end of Timaios of Tauromenion's work. Prior to this date, world affairs had been, for the most part, dispersed, and held little unity of initiative, results, or locality. Ever since, they became inseparably entangled with one another, and thus any record of history afterwards must be treated as an organic whole. The affairs of Hellas became interlinked with those of Italia and Libya, as well as Asia and Aigyptos, all leading up to one end. And so it is for this reason that I chose this date as the beginning of my systematic history. For it is due to our defeat of the Makedones in the Chremonidian War that we Hellenes, feeling that the chief and most essential step in the dream of Hellenic liberation had now been taken, were first emboldened to reach out our hands across the sea to aid the apoikia* in breaking free of barbarian oppression.

Now, we Hellenes are generally well acquainted with the background of the struggle between the poleis of Hellas and the Makedon basileis. However, on behalf of the Philhellenes, as well as those Hellenes from the remote apoikia of Iberia and Keltika, I thought it necessary to briefly summarize that struggle, so that nobody finds themselves lost in terms of the context of this narrative. Indeed, even those well acquainted with such matters may find themselves at a loss to explain exactly how we Hellenes managed to embark upon that great enterprise which has led to Panhellenic hegemony. The answer, in my opinion, lies not in how we have achieved such glory, but rather, in how it was delayed for so long. For whenever the poleis of Hellas have united behind a common cause, no force on earth can stand against them. But once that common purpose had been achieved, they always fell back into old rivalries and hatreds.

What is most striking about to me about my work and the period of time it covers is this: Tyche has guided nearly all of world affairs in one direction and towards one end. Therefore, as a historian, I believe I should endeavor to show my readers the big picture, so that they can see the means by which history has been shaped towards this manifest destiny. Indeed, it was primarily my realization of this that encouraged me to undertake this task, as well as the fact that none of my contemporaries have attempted a general history of this era. If they had, I might have been less inclined to attempt such a work. As it is, while many of my colleagues write detailed treatises on particular wars, and the events connected to them, no one, to my knowledge has seriously studied big picture, and how it has all led toward the Hellenic manifest destiny.

Thus I am compelled not to let this display of divine will to pass unnoticed into oblivion. Indeed, though Tyche's will is forever present in lives of men, she has never before now presented such a grand performance as in our own times. Such is it's scope that one could no more hope to perceive it through the histories of particular events than to understand the entire world by visiting it's greatest cities. Anyone who thinks that by studying isolated histories he can gain an accurate view of history as a whole, is to my mind, the same as someone who thinks that seeing the dissected corpse of an animal is the same as witnessing it alive and free in the wild. Were he able to compare the two, I think he would quickly realize the error of his thinking.

Though it is possible to glimpse the big picture from studying particulars, one can never get a clear view of it. Specific histories therefore do little to contribute to the understanding of it's broad scope. Only by studying the connections between all of these events, and through their comparison and contrast, do we get at least a general view of history, and in my opinion, derive the most benefit and enjoyment from it's study.

Footnotes:

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apoikia: Hellenic trading colonies
Tyche: the Hellenic equivalent to the Roman goddess, Fortuna.