Historians Made Elsewhere Than at Rome: Polybius and Josephus on the Roman Empire - UChicago | Graham School

Historians Made Elsewhere Than at Rome: Polybius and Josephus on the Roman Empire - UChicago | Graham School
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First Friday
Historians Made Elsewhere Than at Rome: Polybius and Josephus on the Roman Empire
This First Friday Lecture is supported by the Anastaplo Lecture Series Fund in memory of Basic Program Instructor George Anastaplo.
Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
Time
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm CT
Location
Online
About the Event
This First Friday Lecture is supported by the Anastaplo Lecture Series Fund in memory of Basic Program Instructor George Anastaplo.
Lecture Description:
Most people have heard the old saying, “History is written by the winners”. In this talk, I will argue that in some cases, history is written
about
the winners, by the losers. Two of the most significant historians of ancient Rome, Polybius and Josephus, wrote about conflicts between their people and the Roman empire with the perspective of first-person experience from the losing side. Unlike a Roman historian such as Livy, who has patriotic motives to glorify the actions of Rome, their accounts provide us with an “outsider” view that is looking to understand Roman success, partly as a way to console (and excuse) themselves for their loss, and partly to advise others how to avoid similar fates in the future. While both historians find many things to admire about Rome, they also view Roman imperial power through a practical lens that isn’t always rosy. This approach can provide readers with a more complex view of Roman history.
About the Lecturer:
Zoë Eisenman started teaching in the Basic Program in 1992, and served as the Cyril O. Houle Chair from 2015-2020.  She has a BA in Greek from Vassar College and an MA in Classics from University of Chicago, where she has also done advanced graduate work. Her main academic focus is on Greek and Roman history and philosophy, Classical cultural history and gender studies. She taught in the College at the University of Chicago and in the Philosophy Department at St. Xavier University. She is the 2014 recipient of the Graham School’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the Basic Program, and is currently Director of Academics at the Graham School.
Who's Speaking
Zoë Eisenman
Director of Academics & Basic Program Instructor
Zoe Eisenman started teaching in the Basic Program in 1992, and served as the Cyril O. Houle Chair from 2015–2020. She has a BA in Greek from Vassar College and an MA in Classics from the University of Chicago, where she has also done advanced graduate work. Her main academic...
Zoe Eisenman started teaching in the Basic Program in 1992, and served as the Cyril O. Houle Chair from 2015–2020. She has a BA in Greek from Vassar College and an MA in Classics from the University of Chicago, where she has also done advanced graduate work. Her main academic focus is on Greek and Roman history and philosophy, classical cultural history, and gender studies. She taught in the College at the University of Chicago and in the philosophy department at St. Xavier University. She is the 2014 recipient of the Graham School’s Excellence in Teaching Award for the Basic Program and is currently Director of Academics at the Graham School.
Historians Made Elsewhere Than at Rome: Polybius and Josephus on the Roman Empire
Friday, May 1, 2026 from
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm CT
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