PhilosophersPolybe
Polybe
Greek historian: constitutions change into one another in a natural cycle.
Philosophy of history-200 · -118 GreeceMegalopolis
Life
Greek historian (c. 200 - c. 118 BC), born at Megalopolis. A hostage in Rome, he watched the rise of Roman power at close range. In his Histories, book VI describes the cycle of constitutions (monarchy, tyranny, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, mob rule) and explains the strength of Rome's mixed constitution.
Main works
150 BC
The Histories
How Rome conquered the Mediterranean world in little more than half a century; book VI deals with constitutions.
In his own words
« This is the regular cycle of constitutional revolutions, and the natural order in which constitutions change, are transformed, and return again to their original stage. »
αὕτη πολιτειῶν ἀνακύκλωσις, αὕτη φύσεως οἰκονομία, καθʼ ἣν μεταβάλλει καὶ μεθίσταται καὶ πάλιν εἰς αὑτὰ καταντᾷ τὰ κατὰ τὰς πολιτείας.