L’Arcadia precedente a Polibio. Tracce di tradizioni culturali e affermazioni identitarie nelle Storie

By analysing a selection of passages from the Histories this paper examines the interest that Polybius - as both an Arcadian and an Achaean – displays about Arcadia of the past. The study shows to what extent earlier events and traditions, dated to a time long before that of Polybius’ own narration, have been incorporated into his work. I shall therefore propose some reflections on how Polybius (as a historian with a ‘joint’ identity) has described the Arcadian people; on the selection of historical and cultural elements from archaic and classical Arcadia in his narrative; and on the comparison with Pausanias regarding traditions concerning the monarchic phase of the region