Superiority of the Romans by Polybius

In the text, “The superiority of the Romans,” Polybius presents his explanation of Rome’s dominance over the known civilized world. In one instance, he asserts the cause of Rome’s superiority by comparing the military service of Carthaginians and Romans. He acknowledged that Carthaginians are the better trained and prepared in naval expedition since they have trained generations of men to follow the “seaman’s trade;” however, Polybius states that in regard to military service, Romans train in “higher pitch” than Carthaginians. He accounts that the discrepancy between these two empires stems from the method of pursuit of freedom. While Carthaginians rely only on the courage of employed foreign mercenaries, Romans rely on the valor of their troops and allies. With such a difference, Polybius emphasizes Rome’s assured victory in any war whether on land or at sea. He also goes on to say that only one example is needed by the Roman state to create men who will fight for the reputation of their country, “The men ready to endure anything to win”.

Polybius also displays Rome’s superiority in the funeral rites. Following the death of illustrious men, the deceased are carried to the Rostra where speeches are given publically to honor the virtues and exploits of the dead. This practice, Polybius states, allows the public to be united with common mourning. More rituals follow to represent the deceased through elaborate ornaments: masks and togas- which are color coded to represent social status of the deceased this created a spectacle honoring the, “Noble ambitions and virtuous aspirations” of men. Later another speech is given which recounts the successes and achievements of each of the deceased. This in particular, he express, assists in eternalizing the glory of these men, but is focused in inspiring others to parallel