This book offers a detailed political history of Rhodes from the foundation of the Rhodian republic in the fifth century B.C. to the conclusions of Rhodes' alliance with Rome in the second, a period in which Rhodes was a major Mediterranean power. Richard M. Berthold provides a complete account of Rhodian foreign affairs, exploring the principles and reasons behind Rhodes' foreign policy decisions. He traces Rhodes' history through the stormy years of the fourth century to the independence and prosperity of the third, arguing that Rhodes achieved economic and political success by pursuing a course of studied neutrality. Berthold maintains that Rhodes did not willfully abandon its neutral stance during the second century, but rather was forced by events to support Rome, a posture that ultimately led to Rhodes' loss of independence.
"Rhodes is a state of considerable importance in the Hellenistic era, yet its history has not previous received extended treatment in English. Richard M. Berthold's book provides a lucid, careful, and sensible study of the subject."--Erich S. Gruen, University of California, Berkeley
"Professor Berthold's book is an excellent piece of work: he has successfully coped with the problems facing every historian of ancient Greece, and succeeds in viewing events from the perspective of Rhodes itself. His clear and thoughtful analysis of Rhodian action makes the book a substantial contribution to an active and promising area of current Greek scholarship."--Stanley M. Burstein, California State University, Los Angeles
