Michigan Classical Press is a peer-reviewed, independent publisher

In the Hellenistic period of Greek history, communities often offered honors and titles to representatives of certain dynasties. Modeled on the earlier civic practice of creating a cult for important mythological or divine figures, the more modern ruler cult signified which figures were important to a city and its region, and represented the city’s appreciation in return for favors or military services offered. Divine Honors for Mortal Men in Greek Cities: The Early Cases presents Christian Habicht’s argument for the handling of these ruler cults in mainland Greece and the islands, relying upon contemporary testimony, down to 240 BCE. John Noël Dillon’s faithful yet inviting translation of the 1970 German edition presents the author’s updated case studies based on inscriptional discoveries since that time. Divine Honors also includes updated supplemental material encompassing additional bibliography, and detailed subject and source indices.

Christian Habicht is Professor Emeritus, School of Historical Studies, Institute for Advanced Study. He is the author of some 28 books and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Greek and Latin Epigraphy.

John Noël Dillon is the author of The Justice of Constantine: Law, Communication, and Control (University of Michigan Press), and has taught at the universities of Heidelberg, Exeter, and Peking.  

ISBN-13 9780979971396; xvi + 240 pp, $67.50 (cloth)

Polybius 1, A Commentary

Born about 200 BC in Greece to a politically prominent family, Polybius had his own political career cut short when he was deported to Rome as a hostage. During his exile, he commenced the composition of his Histories, with the original goal of examining Rome's rise to supremacy during the years from 220 to 168 BC; later he would extend his investigation down to the aftermath of the Third Punic and Achaean wars, which ended in 146 BC.

Of the original forty books of the Histories, today only the first five survive essentially intact, with most of the remaining books represented by fragments of various lengths. In this volume, David D. Phillips presents a commentary on Polybius' first book. The volume includes the definitive text by Theodor Büttner-Wobst, together with detailed commentary on points of linguistic and historical interest, and an introduction to Polybius' life, the Histories (with special attention to book 1), and Polybian language, style, and tone.

David D. Phillips is Professor of History, University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of The Laws of Ancient Athens (University of Michigan Press, 2013), Avengers of Blood: Homicide in Athenian Law and Custom from Draco to Demosthenes (Franz Steiner Verlag, 2008), and Athenian Political Oratory: 16 Key Speeches (Routledge, 2004).

ISBN 978-0-9799713-7-2; 6x9; 269 pp.; $65 (cloth)