Year: 2014
Type: article
Abstract: gave the most detailed view of the Roman diplo-matic mission in Illyria before the First Illyrian War. This is also the first recorded diplomatic contact between the Romans and Illyrians. Un-like other ancient authors, Polybius was the only one who presented the content of the con-versation. The passage stands out with its mul-tiple meanings, but particularly interesting as a place where Polybius presents a certain num-ber of the characterization notes of the Illyrians and their ruler Teuta. The moments in the pas-sage that allow an analysis of Polybius’s image of the Illyrians are: the critique of the institution of the kingdom, the differences between Roman and Illyrian customs, and the explicit charac-terization of the Illyrian ruler, Teuta. Polariza-tion between Romans and Illyrians is analogous with the conceptual scheme of the polarization of Greeks and barbarians, by which Greek so-ciety is democratic and equal, while barbaric society is tyrannical and hierarchical. Like the Greeks, the Romans are presented as lovers of liberty and protectors of law, and the Illyr-ians as a contrast to all principles of human-ity and Roman virtues. Polybius underlines the
Author: Amela Bajrić
Institution: Institute for Information Technologies Kragujevac
Language: English
Topic: Classical Antiquity Studies
Subfield: Classics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1488046375