Bibliography
| Title: Romans are Barbaroi: Three Polybian Speeches and the Politics of Cultural Indeterminacy Secondary Title: Classical Philology Volume: 95, no. 4 Pages: 425-444 Type: Journal Article Year: 2000 Abstract: Craige Champion analyzes Polybius? ?barbarology? in relation to Rome by focusing on three of the historian?s speeches. He aims to explore the predicament that Greek statesmen of the second century BCE faced because of Rome's dominance.
Champion argues that Polybius employs speeches as a vehicle for indirect expression of hostility towards Rome, reflecting widespread Greek opinion at the time of the Histories? composition.
Section one lays out evidence for Greek politics of assimilation and alienation in relations with Rome before the composition of the Histories.
In section two Champion analyzes an episode in Histories 2.35, where the Romans themselves assimilate others during a military encounter with barbarians. According to Champion, in this instance the Romans have exercised Greek rationality (????????).
Section three of his essay examines the composition of Polybius? speeches in order to show that the historian portrayed the Romans as barbarian. Champion also examines key political and military interactions and exchanges between Rome and the Achaean confederation, taking into consideration Polybius? intended audience.
Champion concludes that Polybius? employment of indirect speech, as an expression of hostility toward Rome, was a vehicle for ?practicing the art of relatively safe criticism?. For the Greek statesmen of the time, these speeches served as their expression of the impossible dream of complete Greek freedom from the Roman barbarians. Keywords: speeches, statesmen, barbarians, Achaean confederation |