"The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 2 (of 2)" by Polybius is a historical work originally written in 40 volumes during the 2nd century BC. This Greek historian, taken hostage to Rome after 168 BC, chronicles Rome's dramatic rise to Mediterranean dominance between 264-146 BC. Covering pivotal conflicts including the Punic Wars and Rome's conquest of Greece, Polybius analyzes the Roman Constitution's mixed government system and explores the role of fate in shaping empires. Only fragments and excerpts survive from most volumes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)