Rethinking the Greeks: to the issue of ancient statehood analysis in the political theory by Niccolò Machiavelli

This study examines the problem of ancient statehood perception in the political theory by Niccolò Machiavelli, known as an exceptional thinker, historian and diplomat of the Italian Wars era. Machiavelli's key works, such as “Discourses on the first ten of Titus Livy” and “The Prince”, as well as a treatise “The art of War” and some letters of the Florentine are studied. The author of the study substantiates the assumption that Machiavellian analysis of ancient statehood was a syncretic reinterpretation of the Greek political experience through Rome and the cumulative ancient political experience through the realities of modern Machiavelli Italian politics.