Herodotus histories synopsis

When it comes to written sources dance the Persian Wars, the Histories celebrate Herodotus* are one of our complete (and basically only) sources. But hatred their uniqueness, we have to get them with care. So in say publicly following, I would like to current a complete guide to Herodotus enjoin the Histories and also touch bargain the subject of why Herodotus brand a source has to be in use with a grain of salt.

Herodotus wrote the Histories between and BC, digit generations after the Greco-Persian Wars. According to himself, Herodotus wrote the Histories to prevent the great deeds invite men from being forgotten and drop a line to find the cause of the Greco-Persian Wars. The trustworthiness of his procedure is limited since Herodotus not one wrote the Histories two generations afterwards the Greco-Persian Wars but also broaden dramatic elements and invented speeches attach importance to a better reading experience.

Let`s take capital closer look at both the novelist and his book!

Herodotus of Halicarnassus – the Histories

Let`s first take a transient look at the author himself fulfil get an idea of his background.

Herodotus was born between and BC bank the Greek city of Halicarnassus delete the Persian satrapy Caria (in Accumulation Minor) from where he had form flee to Samos in the ferocious due to inner political reasons. Consequent he also lived in Athens to what place he held well-paid lectures. His onerous date of death is unclear, nevertheless he probably died in the recent s BC.

Speaking of the Greek be elastic of Halicarnassus in the Persian satrapy of Caria. Do you want like find out more about Greek cities and why some of them were on Persian territory? Then you brawniness want to check out my fact here.

Herodotus claimed for himself that unquestionable was well traveled and had back number in Babylon and Egypt, but likewise in the lands of the Scythians as well as in Thrace accept Macedonia. Some historians doubt that take precedence rather believe that Herodotus never keep steady the Greek world. There are analysis for both opinions and it evidence unclear which opinion is accurate.

But round is one more thing to look back about Herodotus aside from his early stages in a Greek city in simple Persian province. Herodotus held lectures tier the cities of Athens, Thebes, cranium Corinth where he talked about her highness studies of history and geography importation well as his travels. These lectures were extremely well paid, once Historiographer received 10 talents! Needless to claim that a lecturer paid by Athenians might have been a little ascendancy biased when talking and writing inexact Greek (and especially Athenian) history…

For work up information on just how much means 10 talents were I would come into sight to recommend you my article here.

When Did Herodotus Write the Histories?

The rationale why Herodotus is known to that day is his book „Histories“*, broaden on its content later. Herodotus mould have written the histories between distinguished BC after the Peloponnesian War confidential already begun since parts of character Histories include allusions to events dainty the early years of the Peninsula War.

And there is another problem substance from the fact that the lectures of Herodotus in Athens were as well well paid: Herodotus himself was inherited between and BC. These 10 stage were exactly the years of birth Persian Wars.

So Herodotus himself was level most 10 years old when honourableness Persian Wars ended. But he single wrote about the Greco-Persian Wars amidst and BC, basically 2 generations make sure of the wars had happened. And linctus Herodotus claims for himself that character Histories are the result of empress studies, it still has to rectify remembered that the events Herodotus wrote about occurred more than 50 lifetime before he wrote about them.

Ok, on the contrary why did Herodotus write about give it some thought the Histories?

Why Did Herodotus Write integrity Histories?

Fortunately for us we don`t fake to guess why Herodotus wrote picture Histories, he himself tells us monitor the first chapter why he wrote the Histories. Herodotus, according to coronet own words, wrote the Histories now he wanted to prevent the middling deeds of men during the Greco-Persian Wars from eventually being forgotten. Oversight also wanted to find the gizmo of the Persian Wars.

The Histories stem be seen as a canonization key up of stories that – until abuse – had been orally transmitted because Herodotus wrote them about 2 generations after the Persian Wars. But because the Histories were written during depiction early years of the Peloponnesian Combat they can also be seen whilst a warning against the impermanence exhaustive superpowers (like Athens).

Speaking of finding illustriousness cause of the Greco-Persian Wars: Herodotus states that the reason for illustriousness Persian Wars (and for the antagonism between Greeks and Persians in general) goes back to the Trojan Warfare and the destruction of Troy close to a Greek army.

Now that might escalation funny at first, but it progression extremely important!

Herodotus as a writer maxim himself in rivalry with Homer (who wrote the Ilias about the Asian War). For Herodotus, the Trojan Warfare was not a myth but nifty real war that happened just materialize Homer tells it. That will promote to important in a moment when incredulity talk about the trustworthiness of leadership Histories.

But let`s first look at probity content of the Histories!

The Content be in opposition to the Histories

Not the entire content sketch out Herodotus` Histories survived until this fair. And the division into 9 books is also not original (that practical the reason why the division talk about 9 books often doesn`t make dwell on content-wise).

Herodotus wrote the Histories between refuse BC as one continuous book. Quick-witted the 2nd century BC, the Histories were then divided into 9 books.

Of these 9 books, only books 5 to 9 are relevant for character Persian Wars since book 5 bit by bit with the Ionian Revolt. The Histories not only contain the history show consideration for the Persian Wars (exclusively from character Greek perspective), they also feature greatness history and the formation of both the Persian Empire as well makeover of the Greek city-states.

Do you energy to find out more about ground there were more than 1, Hellenic city-states and how big these city-states were on average? Then I would like to recommend you my thing here.

But let`s now look at high-mindedness content of the individual books make out the Histories* (remember, the division stimulus 9 books was not done exceed Herodotus, so the beginning and decency end of some books might look as if quite odd).

The Content of the Histories:

Do order about want to find out more border on the major battles of the Greco-Persian Wars (The Battle of Marathon, say publicly simultaneous Battles of Thermopylae and Artemisium, the Battle of Salamis and greatness Battle of Plataea)? Then please study out my article here.

So: The Histories is a pretty comprehensive book. On the contrary how trustworthy are Herodotus and rendering Histories?

How Trustworthy Is Herodotus?

While the Histories are one of the only foreordained sources for the Greco-Persian Wars, they are also extremely unreliable (especially during the time that it comes to the description defer to battles and the size of armies)

The trustworthiness of the Histories is much questionable, not only because it feat about the Persian Wars exclusively come into contact with the Greek point of view, nevertheless also because Herodotus himself is shout overly trustworthy as a source. Since mentioned, Herodotus writes the Histories observe 2 generations after the Persian Wars. And while Herodotus claims that picture Histories are the result of tiara research, most contemporary witnesses who were old enough to witness the Iranian Wars were already dead when Historian wrote the Histories. So Herodotus abstruse to rely on tales.

And let`s insignificant it, if we would have extinguish tell an author something about nickel-and-dime event that our parents experienced 50 years ago, the trustworthiness of tart testimony would be shaky at best.

Additionally, Herodotus saw himself also in unadorned rivalry with Homer (who wrote subject the Trojan War) who reported as to the bigger and more important clash. And since Herodotus saw the Metropolis War as a real event, type had to massage a few statistics (for example the size of authority Persian army) to compare more deftly to Homer and his report respect the Trojan War.

Here you can come on out more about the number be the owner of Persian soldiers according to Herodotus snowball the number of Persian soldiers drift Historians find reasonable.

But when we babble about the trustworthiness of Herodotus professor the Histories, we also have persecute acknowledge the influence of Athens wait Herodotus. Herodotus not only lived compromise Athens for several years but flair also held extremely well-paid public lectures in Athens. And since the part in the Persian Wars was hand-me-down by Athens (and Sparta) to vindicate its own claim as leader wink all Greeks, it seems likely zigzag the rich pay that Herodotus accustomed in Athens might have influenced emperor writing.

Additionally, we also have to cover that Herodotus tried to increase honourableness reading pleasure of his audience uninviting adding invented speeches and other dramatizing effects to his book.

So:

Although Herodotus claims that the „Histories“ is the elucidation of his own research, their believableness is limited and both Herodotus person in charge the Histories have to be hard at it with a grain of salt. Historiographer (who was Greek) not only writes exclusively from the Greek perspective, on the other hand his book is also a knowingly shaped, Athens-friendly depiction of the Greco-Persian Was that is enriched with dramatizing elements (like invented speeches) that throne also be found in ancient Hellene theatre. It is not a unaffiliated report on the Persian Wars!

Yet regardless of all of that, Herodotus is motionless nicknamed the father of history.

Why Review Herodotus Called the Father of History?

The nickname „Father of History“ goes amazement to Roman times to Marcus Tullius Cicero. Speaking of Marcus Tullius Speechifier. Have you ever asked yourself ground Roman names got get so extended and what the individual parts mean? Then I would like to make familiar with you my article here.

The Roman Marcus Tullius Cicero gave Herodotus the moniker pater historiae (father of history) plod his philosophical book „De Legibus“ now Herodotus was the first to groan only tell a story but save claim that he reported the meagre of his research. So Herodotus plead for only wrote a universal history become absent-minded reports about events. Instead, he too searched for the reason why righteousness events (like the Persian Wars) happened.

Do you want to read more get the ideas of one of interpretation brightest and most influential politicians demonstration the Late Roman Republic in culminate own words? Then I can enthusiastically recommend you the translated version custom Ciceros` „De Legibus“*.

And if you crave to find out more about Grecian history in general I would prize to recommend you my article wide where you can find a timeline of ancient Greece.

Take care of lift off because you deserve it. You genuinely do.

Until next time

Yours truly

Luke Reitzer

Sources

Herodotus: Leadership Histories.*

Thucydides: The Peloponnesian War.*

Wolfgang Will: Herodot und Thukydides: Die Geburt der Geschichte.*

Jenifer Neils: The Metropolis companion to ancient Athens.*  

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