Polybius, Histories
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Book 7 - Chapter 1

1
<head lang="la">I. Res Italiae</head><w lemma="%2Apolu%2Fbios">Πολύβιος</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="e%28bdo%2Fmh%7C">ἑβδόμῃ</w> "<w lemma="%2Akapuhsi%2Fous">Καπυησίους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Akampani%2Fa%7C">Καμπανίᾳ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29reth%5Cn">ἀρετὴν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="gh%3Ds">γῆς</w> <w lemma="plou%3Dton">πλοῦτον</w> <w lemma="peribalome%2Fnous">περιβαλομένους</w> <w lemma="e%29cokei%3Dlai">ἐξοκεῖλαι</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="trufh%5Cn">τρυφὴν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="polute%2Fleian">πολυτέλειαν</w>, <w lemma="u%28perballome%2Fnous">ὑπερβαλλομένους</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akro%2Ftwna">Κρότωνα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asu%2Fbarin">Σύβαριν</w> <w lemma="paradedome%2Fnhn">παραδεδομένην</w> <w lemma="fh%2Fmhn">φήμην</w>.
2
<w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmenoi">δυνάμενοι</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w>, <w lemma="fhsi%2F">φησί</w>, <w lemma="fe%2Frein">φέρειν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="parou%3Dsan">παροῦσαν</w> <w lemma="eu%29daimoni%2Fan">εὐδαιμονίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29ka%2Floun">ἐκάλουν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fban">Ἀννίβαν</w>. <w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="a%29nh%2Fkesta">ἀνήκεστα</w> <w lemma="deina%5C">δεινὰ</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fpaqon">ἔπαθον</w>.
3
<w lemma="%2Apethli%3Dnoi">Πετηλῖνοι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="thrh%2Fsantes">τηρήσαντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fous">Ῥωμαίους</w> <w lemma="pi%2Fstin">πίστιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tosou%3Dton">τοσοῦτον</w> <w lemma="karteri%2Fas">καρτερίας</w> <w lemma="h%29%3Dlqon">ἦλθον</w> <w lemma="poliorkou%2Fmenoi">πολιορκούμενοι</w> <w lemma="u%28p%27">ὑπ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fba">Ἀννίβα</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fste">ὥστε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="de%2Frmata">δέρματα</w> <w lemma="katafagei%3Dn">καταφαγεῖν</w>, <w lemma="a%28pa%2Fntwn">ἁπάντων</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="de%2Fndrwn">δένδρων</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="floiou%5Cs">φλοιοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28palou%5Cs">ἁπαλοὺς</w> <w lemma="pto%2Frqous">πτόρθους</w> <w lemma="a%29nalw%3Dsai">ἀναλῶσαι</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fndeka">ἕνδεκα</w> <w lemma="mh%3Dnas">μῆνας</w> <w lemma="u%28pomei%2Fnantes">ὑπομείναντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="poliorki%2Fan">πολιορκίαν</w>, <w lemma="ou%29deno%5Cs">οὐδενὸς</w> <w lemma="bohqou%3Dntos">βοηθοῦντος</w>, <w lemma="suneudokou%2Fntwn">συνευδοκούντων</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rwmai%2Fwn">Ῥωμαίων</w> <w lemma="pare%2Fdosan">παρέδοσαν</w> <w lemma="e%28autou%2Fs">ἑαυτούς</w>." [<foreign lang="la">Athenaeus XII, 36 p. 528 a.</foreign>]
4
<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28h">Ἡ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Akapu%2Fh">Καπύη</w> <w lemma="metaqeme%2Fnh">μεταθεμένη</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="ba%2Frei">βάρει</w> <w lemma="sunepespa%2Fsato">συνεπεσπάσατο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllas">ἄλλας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w>. [<foreign lang="la">Suidas v</foreign><w lemma="%2Akapu%2Fh">Καπύη</w>.]
<head>I. Affairs of Italy</head><head>Capua and Petelia</head>Polybius in his seventh Book says that the people of Capua in Campania, having acquired great wealth owing to the fertility of the soil, fell into habits of luxury and extravagance surpassing even the reports handed down to us concerning Croton and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sybaris&groupId=992&placeId=1750">Sybaris</a>.
Being unable, then, to support the burden of their prosperity they called in Hannibal, and for this received from the Romans a chastisement which utterly ruined them.
But the people of Petelia who remained loyal to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rome&groupId=935&placeId=1669">Rome</a> suffered such privation, when besieged by Hannibal, that after eating all the leather in the city and consuming the bark and tender shoots of all the trees in it, having now endured the siege for eleven months without being relieved, they surrendered with the approval of the Romans.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
7.1.0 - 7.5.0
<p rend="Plain Text">The defection of Hieronymus of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Syracuse&groupId=994&placeId=1753">Syracuse</a></p> <p rend="Plain Text">The scope of this section can be seen from Livy, xxiv. 4. 1–7. 9, from P. (Klotz, Livius, 113, 159), which covers in a single narrative the events of 215/14 down to Hieronymus' death. This arrangement probably derives from P., who will have included only one set of res Siciliae in vii (see above, p. 2). Livy, xxiv. 4–5, describes events from a little before Hiero's death to the removal of Thraso (cf. 2. 2 n.); his account is much compressed, but there is no need to assume contamination with a non-Polybian source (so Jacoby, on FGH 268 F 4; below, 7. 1 n.).</p>
Specifics
7.1.1 - 7.1.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς γῆς</w>:</emph> cf. ii. 17. 1, iii. 91. 2, xxxiv. 11. 1–7; Livy, xxvi. 16. 7. The black earth of the Campanian plain, derived from weathered tufa (terra pulla, Col. i, praef. 24, ii. 10. 18; Pliny, Nat. hist. xvii. 25), is highly praised as ideal for agriculture (Cic. de leg. agr. ii. 76; Virg. Georg. ii. 217–25). It gave three or even four harvests a year (Pliny, Nat. hist. xviii. 111, 191; Strabo, v. 242), producing especially spelt (far, <w lang="el-GR">ζέα</w>, Varro, Rust. i. 2. 6; Pliny, Nat. hist. xviii. 82, 110 ff.; Strabo, ibid.), used for making groats (alica), wheat (Pliny, Nat. hist. xviii. 86), millet (Pliny, Nat. hist. xviii. 100), fruit and vegetables (Pliny, Nat. hist. xv. 94, 103, xix. 67; Strabo, v. 243), roses, used for perfume (Pliny, Nat. hist. xiii. 26, xviii. 111, xxi. 16, 17, 20; Athen. xv. 688E; for unguentarii cf. CIL, x. 3968, 3974, 3975, 3979, 3982), and vines (for Capuan wines cf. Pliny, Nat. hist. xiv. 69). See Nissen, It. Land. ii. 696–717; Hlsen, RE, 'Campania', cols. 1435–6; 'Capua', col. 1558; Heurgon, 11–19; Beloch, Campanien, 334–42. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν περὶ Κρότωνα καὶ Σύβαριν . . . φήμην</w>:</emph> the prosperity of Croton was at its height towards the end of the sixth century and survived its defeat by Locri on the Sagra (Strabo, vi. 261). To this period dates the proverb: <w lang="el-GR">μάταια τἄλλα παρὰ Κρότωνα τἄστεα</w> (Schol. <milestone unit="page" n="29">[29]</milestone> Theoc. 4. 33); and cf. Petron. 116: 'Crotona . . . urbem antiquissimam et aliquando Italiae primam.' On its prosperity cf. x. 1. 6. <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sybaris&groupId=992&placeId=1750">Sybaris</a> was destroyed by Croton in 510; on its later history see ii. 39. 6 n. Its luxury and extravagance were famous, thanks especially to Epicharmus (Suidas, s.v. <w lang="el-GR">Συβαριτικαῖς)</w> and Timaeus (cf. FGH 566 F 9. 47–51). According to Iustinus (xx. 4. 1–5) the men of Croton were tempted to give themselves up to luxury after the defeat on the Sagra, but Pythagoras' arrival (about 530: ii. 39. 1 n.) saved them; this will be from Timaeus who (FGH 566 F 44) dates the eventual onset of <w lang="el-GR">τρυφή</w> in Croton to just after the destruction of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sybaris&groupId=992&placeId=1750">Sybaris</a>. However, the <w lang="el-GR">τρυφή</w> of the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Magna Graecia&groupId=728&placeId=1334">Magna Graecia</a> cities is a <w lang="el-GR">τόπος</w> (cf. Athen. xii. 523C = FGH 566 F 51, for Siris, quoting Timaeus and Aristotle) and Timaeus makes it the direct result of power (Dunbabin, 319). See Passerini, Stud. it. 1934, 48–49. </p>
7.1.2 - 7.1.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οὐ δυνάμενοι . . . φέρειν τὴν . . . εὐδαιμονίαν</w>:</emph> cf. viii. 24. 1 where Tarentum <w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὸ τῆς εὐδαιμονίας ὑπερήφανον</w> invited the help of Pyrrhus. P. there states as a general rule that a free state, after enjoying power for a time, will seek a master <w lang="el-GR">(δεσπότην)</w>, and having got one will quickly realize that the change is for the worse and try to get rid of him. This transition from freedom to despotism recalls those of the anacyclosis sketched in book vi (cf. vi. 9. 7–9; Hoffmann, Hermes, 1934, 18), but does not imply that the whole cycle was applicable to Capua or Tarentum. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀνήκεστα δεινά</w>:</emph> on recovering Capua after a year's siege in 211 the Romans executed the surviving senators, imprisoned some 300 leading citizens for life and sold many others into slavery. The city was not destroyed, but the houses and land were confiscated and all movables, horses, and slaves became war-booty. The population remained as tenants, and henceforth Capua was administered by a Roman praefectus sent annually (Livy, xxvi. 14–16, 33–34; Vell. Pat. ii. 44. 4). However, the SC. authorizing the deportation of the population remained a dead letter, and eventually the people of Capua recovered Roman citizenship (Livy, xxxviii. 28. 4, 36. 5–6). On the inconsistencies in Livy's account see De Sanctis, iii. 2. 314–15, 342–7. </p>
7.1.3 - 7.1.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Πετηλῖνοι . . . πολιορκούμενοι ὑπ᾿ Ἀννί?βα</w>:</emph> Petelia lay 8 km. north of the mouth of the River Neaethus (Neto) and about 5 km. from the sea on a height of 341 m. Coins and inscriptions confirm its Hellenic character: its reputed founder was Philoctetes (Strabo, vi. 254; Serv. ad Aen. iii. 402; Solinus, 2. 10). See Nissen, It. Land. ii. 963–7. Despite the words quoted (they may be due to compression by Athenaeus: De Sanctis, iii. 2. 214 n. 13), Hannibal did not himself take part in the siege. The Punic commander was Hanno (App. Hann. 29; cf. Livy, xxiii. 41. 12, xxiv. 1. 1) or, according to Livy, xxiii. 30. 1, Himilco. Frontinus (Strat. iv. 5. 18) also gives eleven months as the <milestone unit="page" n="30">[30]</milestone> duration of the siege, which will have ended in summer 215. On the siege see also Livy, xxiii. 20. 4–10, 30. 1–2; Val. Max. vi. 6. ext. 2; Sil. It. xii. 431–2 (a second <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Saguntum&groupId=938&placeId=1673">Saguntum</a>). </p>
7.1.4 - 7.1.4
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὰς ἄλλας πόλεις</w>:</emph> Atella and Calatia in Campania followed the example of Capua (Livy, xxii. 61. 11 (quoted at 1 n.), xxvi. 34. 6, 11); but it is clear from Livy (xxiii. 15. 3, 17. 4–6) that Nuceria and Acerrae were sacked after some resistance, and the bigger cities like <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Nola&groupId=796&placeId=1439">Nola</a> and Neapolis held out. Kahrstedt (iii. 446 n. 1) believes that Nuceria and Acerrae offered only a token resistance and that it is to these towns that P. here refers; Hallward (CAH, viii. 56) appears to follow him. But it seems likelier that the <w lang="el-GR">ἄλλαι πόλεις</w> are the southern Italian towns generally (De Sanctis, iii. 2. 236 n. 51). </p>

Commentary