Polybius, Histories
Layout
Translation

Bibliography

(0)
No bibliography content available

Archaeology

Places

Book 13 - Chapter 1

1
<head lang="la">I. Res Graeciae</head><w lemma="%2A%28%2Foti">Ὅτι</w> <w lemma="%2Aai%29twloi%5C">Αἰτωλοὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%2F">διά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fxeian">συνέχειαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="pole%2Fmwn">πολέμων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="polute%2Fleian">πολυτέλειαν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="bi%2Fwn">βίων</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Flaqon">ἔλαθον</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="mo%2Fnon">μόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllous">ἄλλους</w>, <w lemma="a%29lla%5C">ἀλλὰ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="sfa%3Ds">σφᾶς</w> <w lemma="au%29tou%5Cs">αὐτοὺς</w> <w lemma="kata%2Fxreoi">κατάχρεοι</w> <w lemma="genhqe%2Fntes">γενηθέντες</w>.
2
<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fws">οἰκείως</w> <w lemma="diakei%2Fmenoi">διακείμενοι</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="kainotomi%2Fan">καινοτομίαν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fas">οἰκείας</w> <w lemma="politei%2Fas">πολιτείας</w> <w lemma="ei%28%2Flonto">εἵλοντο</w> <w lemma="nomogra%2Ffous">νομογράφους</w> <w lemma="%2Adwri%2Fmaxon">Δωρίμαχον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Asko%2Fpan">Σκόπαν</w>,
3
<w lemma="qewrou%3Dntes">θεωροῦντες</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="kata%2F">κατά</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proaire%2Fseis">προαιρέσεις</w> <w lemma="kinhtikou%5Cs">κινητικοὺς</w> <w lemma="u%28pa%2Frxontas">ὑπάρχοντας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ou%29si%2Fas">οὐσίας</w> <w lemma="e%29ndedeme%2Fnous">ἐνδεδεμένους</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="polla%5C">πολλὰ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="biwtikw%3Dn">βιωτικῶν</w> <w lemma="sunallagma%2Ftwn">συναλλαγμάτων</w>. <w lemma="oi%28%5C">οἳ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="paralabo%2Fntes">παραλαβόντες</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cousi%2Fan">ἐξουσίαν</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fthn">ταύτην</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fgrayan">ἔγραψαν</w> <w lemma="no%2Fmous">νόμους</w>. —
<head>The Aetolians</head>FROM the unbroken continuity of their wars, and the extravagance of their daily lives, the Aetolians became involved<note anchored="yes" place="marg" id="note1">Straitened finances in Aetolia cause a revolution, B. C. 204.</note>in debt, not only without others noticing it, but without being sensible of it themselves. therefore naturally disposed to a change in their constitution, they elected Dorimachus and Scopas to draw out a code of laws, because they saw that they were not only innovators by disposition, but were themselves deeply involved in private debt. These men accordingly were admitted to the office and drew up the laws.When they produced them they were opposed by Alexander of Aetolia, who tried to show by many instances that innovation was a dangerous growth which could not be checked, and invariably ended by inflicting grave evils upon those who fostered it. He urged them therefore not to look solely to the exigencies of the hour, and the relief from their existing contracts, but to the future also. For it was a strange inconsistency to be ready to forfeit their very lives in war to preserve their children, and yet in their deliberations to be entirely careless of the future.

Walbank Commentary

Overview
13.0.0 - 13.2.0
<p rend="Plain Text">Aetolian affairs</p> <p rend="Plain Text">On the date of this, probably Ol. 143, 3 = 206/5, see pp. 20–21.</p>
Specifics
13.1.1 - 13.1.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὴν συνέχειαν τῶν πολέμων</w>:</emph> the Social War and the First Macedonian War; before that they were involved in the Demetrian War against Macedon, though they were neutral in the Chremonidean War. They had not in fact been as continuously at war as <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a>. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">διὰ τὴν πολυτέλειαν τῶν βίων</w>:</emph> cf. Agatharchides, FGH, 86 F 6 = Athen. xii. 527 B, C, <w lang="el-GR">Αἰτωλοὶ τοσούτῳ τῶν λοιπῶν ἑτοιμότερον ἔχουσι πρὸς θάνατον ὅσῳπερ καὶ ζῆν πολυτελῶς ἐκτενέστερον ζητοῦσι τῶν ἄλλων</w>. </p>
13.1.2 - 13.1.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">οἰκεί?ως διακείμενοι πρὸς καινοτομίαν</w>:</emph> a general observation about Aetolian character. Shuckburgh, 'being naturally disposed to a change in their constitution', links it too closely with this immediate occasion. There is no evidence in fact that the Aetolian constitution had hitherto been unstable; see, on its development, Larsen, 69 ff.; TAPA, 1952, 1–33. </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">νομογράφους</w>:</emph> mentioned in the Aetolian decree of asylie for Teos (Syll. 563, l. 17 = IG, ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 192), which belongs to the strategia of Alexander of Calydon. This falls between 205 and 201, and appears to be contemporary with the Delphic archonship of Megartas (Syll. 564); but the exact year is not agreed, cf. xviii. 3. 12 n. Those in IG. ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 192 constituted a regular board charged with periodic modification and revision of the law; for a similar body in an Aetolian city see IG, ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 186, and for nomographoi in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acarnania&groupId=270&placeId=527">Acarnania</a>, as well as Aetolia, see Larsen, GFS, xxiv nn. 1 and 2, 209, 235 (<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a>). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Δωρίμαχον καὶ Σκόπαν</w>:</emph> active in the Social War; for Dorimachus of Trichonium cf. iv. 3. 5–6; for Scopas, iv. 5. 1 n. </p>
13.1.3 - 13.1.3
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐνδεδεμένους εἰς πολλὰ τῶν βιωτικῶν συναλλαγμάτων</w>:</emph> 'compromised in many private financial transactions' (Paton). </p>
13.1.1 - 13.1.1
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Αἰτωλός</w>:</emph> the words <w lang="el-GR">ὁ Αἰτωλός</w> are probably the excerptor's (in xviii. 36. 5 the context is different). This is probably Alexander <w lang="el-GR">ὁ Ἴσιος ἐπικαλούμενος</w>, the richest man in Aetolia and naturally opposed to revolutionary measures (cf. xviii. 3. 1, xxi. 25. 11, 26. 9). </p> <p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῦτο τὸ φυτόν</w>:</emph> <w lang="el-GR">χρεῶν ἀποκοπαί</w> or <w lang="el-GR">καινοτομία</w>. Some headway had been made with debt-cancellation, if IG, ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 70, a decree of Pleuron in honour of Lycus of Calydon <w lang="el-GR">[χρε]ολυτήσαντα</w> belongs to this period; cf. Flacelire, 310 n. 2. Wunderer, i. 107, thinks Alexander is quoting an Aetolian proverb: this is unlikely. </p>
Addenda & corrigenda
13.1.2 - 13.1.2
<p rend="Plain Text"> <emph rend="bold">1. 2. <w lang="el-GR">νομογράφους</w>:</emph> those in IG. ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 192 constituted a regular board charged with periodic modification and revision of the law; for a similar body in an Aetolian city see IG, ix <emph rend="superscript">2</emph> . 1. 186, and for nomographoi in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Acarnania&groupId=270&placeId=527">Acarnania</a>, as well as Aetolia, see Larsen, GFS, xxiv nn. 1 and 2, 209, 235 (<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Achaea&groupId=272&placeId=533">Achaea</a>). </p>

Commentary