Tom Holland

And that single end is the establishment of a Roman imperium, a Roman empire over the Mediterranean.

Polybius would end up spending 17 years as a detainee in Rome.

This is how he came by his incredible familiarity with Roman politics, Roman constitutional arrangements, Roman affairs, and he's able to interview veterans of the war against Hannibal, people who had taken leading roles in that war.

But in the long run, the most useful contact that Polybius makes in Rome isn't a kind of veteran of the war against Hannibal.

But this guy still in his teens is very precocious, very brilliant and has an absolutely kind of glittering pedigree.

Because this man is the son of the Aemilius Paulus who had won at Pydna.

So he's therefore the grandson of the Aemilius Paulus who had died at Cannae.

He is also the adoptive grandson of Scipio Africanus, the man who had defeated Hannibal.

And in Rome, adoption is taken very seriously.

So that means that he is basically seen by the Romans as the grandson of Scipio Africanus.

Because he is the son of Aemilius Paulus, he's called Aemilianus.

So Scipio Aemilianus.

And, you know, he is a completely worthy grandson of the great conqueror of Hannibal.

When he was only 17, he had fought with his father at Pidna, covered himself in glory.

He'd then gone to Spain.

He had won a military crown.

So basically the equivalent of a Victoria Cross by being the first over the wall of an enemy city.

At the same time, like Scipio Africanus, he is a great enthusiast for Greek culture, a great scholar.

And actually, this is how he'd come into contact with Polybius, through the loan of some books and general literary chat.

So Scipio, Aemilianus and Polybius, it's like you and Tabby will be doing on your forthcoming podcast.