While herodotus was labelled as the father of history by cicero, partly for first using history historia to explain his craft. Cicero, a roman politician and lawyer, regarded herodotus as the father of history, a title that has remained with him for centuries luce. C was a greek historian who wrote the history of the peloponnesian war. Thucydides persian wars 149 greater than the persian wars. Herodotus, in his account of the war for greek freedom, takes great care to include the most seemingly insignificant details of persian, lydian, and greek culturefrom their practices regarding. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b. Thucydides and herodotus examines the relevant relationship between these historians which is considered, especially nowadays, by historians and philologists to be more significant than previously. My aim is to propose a more complex view of the relationship between herodotus and thucydides. Some have claimed that plato is making normative claims, whereas thucydides is making empirical claims. This edited collection looks at two of the most important ancient greek historians living in the 5th century bce who are considered to be the founders of the western tradition of historiography.
What is different about the works of herodotus and thucydides. Oct 07, 2014 thucydides 460 395 bc thucydides identifies himself as an athenian, telling us that his fathers name was olorus and that he was from the athenian deme of halimous. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. List of books and articles about herodotus online research. The reader will find it difficult to keep all the people and countries straight. It is possible that herodotus employed the same structures and methods of the epic poet because of the similarities in their work. Sep 10, 2008 thucydides had many faults, but he marked a vast improvement over herodotus. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. Free herodotus and thucydides greek historians essay. The relationship between thucydides and herodotus, the founding fathers of western history, has always fuelled heated debates between scholars. The book shows literature and historys power to repair. Chapter 1,2 and 4 study guide by kaitt088 includes 83 questions covering vocabulary, terms and more.
Herodotus and thucydides are not as far apart from each other as is sometimes thought. Herodotus and thucydides were the first people ever to record information as events occurred. The histories of herodotus, completed in the second half of the 5th century bc, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of nonfiction writing. This leads us to herodotus, the historian of the war between the greeks and the persians, which preceded the war among the greek citystates that thucydides. Lets talk about the books youve chosen to better understand thucydides and his time. According to the suda, he was buried in macedonian pella and in the agora in thurium. This is all that thucydides wrote about his own life, but a few other facts are available from. Herodotus makes the jump from the epic poems of homer to secular history, but he does not forget the roots from which his genre came. Herodotus has 267 books on goodreads with 122786 ratings.
Furthermore, what he narrates shows us that all the problems we are facing in this world right now originated long time ago. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Herodotus and thucydides peloponnesian war by courtney askew. Edith foster is an assistant professor of history at ashland university. Bc, greek historian, called the father of history, b. Writing hundreds of years after homer, herodotus compiled his history 1 based on oral accounts and myth. Herodotus was not a blind poet, but his did tell a tale. He detested any reliance on the supernatural, abhorred subjectivity and strived to be as objecti. Peloponnesian war chronicled nearly 30 years of war and tension between athens and sparta first writer to interpret the war in purely human terms rather then searching for divine causes divided into 8 books that cover 21 of the 27 years the. Herodotus wrote about the wars between greece and persia, aka the persian war, while thucydides wrote about. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation and purpose.
The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. View herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers on academia. Thucydides lived between his two homes, in athens and in thrace. This is the first time that i ever studied herodotus.
In order to compare and contrast the historical methods, interests, and objectives of herodotus and thucydides we must examine the characteristics of their literary method, including the narrative, description, authorial analysis, interest in accuracy, etc. Thucydides was athenian historian who also served as an athenian general during the war. It strikes me as noteworthy that for the editors of the volume seeing connections between herodotus and thucydides necessarily results in making us better readers of botha sentiment with which i am. The volume includes an introduction by the editors which addresses our changing view of how.
A comparison of herodotus and thucydides essay 611 words. Thucydides versus plato thucydides versus plato on the nature of the good life plato and thucydides both had strikingly different views on their approach on the good life. Only scant knowledge of his life can be gleaned from his writings and from references to him by later writings, notably the suda. This example herodotus, thucydides, and xenophon essay is published for educational and informational purposes only.
The first historian to write about his own times, thucydides in antiquity was a paradigm for accuracy, and today he is a. Herodotus would refer to the supernatural as the basis for historical events, he would often refer to heresay, and aimed to make his history exciting like the epic poetry of homers illiad, therefor diminishing its objective nature. By signing up, youll get thousands of stepbystep solutions to your. Essential passages from the works of four fathers of historyherodotuss history, thucydides history of the peloponnesian war, xenophons anabasis, and polybiuss histories.
She is the author of thucydides, pericles, and periclean imperialism 2010, of articles on thucydides and lucretius in the american journal of philology 2009 and in sea of languages. The history of herodotus book i the first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. For a balanced treatment of the differences between thucydides and herodotus, see hornblower 034 ch. Few history books since can compare for sheer drama with herodotus s narrative of the persian invasions of greece.
Clio these are the researches of herodotus of halicarnassus, which he publishes, in the hope of thereby preserving from decay the remembrance of what men have done, and of preventing the great and wonderful actions of the greeks and the barbarians from losing their due meed of glory. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation, and purpose. What is the difference between herodotus and thucydides in. Without booksthe herodotus book in particularthe gaps between the characters would be unable to bridge.
Nov 09, 2011 a comparison of herodotus and thucydides the persian and peloponnesian wars were both significant conflicts that tested independence. Documenting these wars was obviously hard at this point of civilization, but two men did, and are now known as the great writers of their time. Sometimes he gives his personal belief and therefore speaks in the first person. In the end, herodotus has done a great service for many generations, by putting down, as best he could, his understanding of the history of the various actors of his time and before. Both herodotus and thucydides were ancient greek historians who invented the writings of history. Herodotus and thucydides didn t agree often on how history should be recorded, taught, and observed. The first book on your list is by vincent azoulay, and its called pericles of athens. Apr 26, 2007 thucydides, born in alimos, was connected through family to the athenian statesman and general miltiades, and his son cimon, leaders of the old aristocracy supplanted by the radical democrats. Thucydides and herodotus examines the relevant relationship between these historians which is considered, especially nowadays, by historians and philologists to be more significant than previously realized. Thucydides never mentioned herodotus by name but is thought to have taken a swipe at him in one of his introductory statements in the peloponnesian war. It is still one of the most contested historiographical subjects and has become increasingly fashionable in the past few decades, which have seen the tables turned with the rehabilitation of herodotus.
What are the common things between thucydides and herodotus. Herodotus passes no judgement, but reports what he has heard, even when plainly ridiculous. Herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers. Bce artstorerich lessing culture and fine arts archives the athenian thucydides was an historian of the peloponnesian war 431 404 bce between athens and sparta, in which he also fought. To hear this history rehearsed, for that there be inserted in it no fables, shall be perhaps not delightful. Such at least was the opinion of marcellinus in his life of thucydides. Thucydides, an athenian, wrote the history of the war between the peloponnesians and the athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war, and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. Both men have been granted the father of history accolade, but chronologically herodotus must be the marginal winner of the distinction as thucydides picks up where he leaves off. Eventually, thucydides and herodotus became close enough for both to be interred in thucydides tomb in athens. However, this title has come with some controversy, as herodotus relied on a mixture of orally passed down accounts, myths, and rumors. Not all of what he wrote was actually accurate though and he wrote romes history as if it was a great novel. His history of the peloponnesian war recounts the 5th century bc war between sparta and athens to the year 411 bc.
They were technically greeks and just about contemporaries. Crane lo31 illuminates some of these differences statistically. Herodotus and thucydides the original fathers of greek historiography are regarded as the first two historians. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. May 03, 2012 thucydides and herodotus examines the relevant relationship between these historians which is considered, especially nowadays, by historians and philologists to be more significant than previously realized. There has been a great deal of focus on the differences between herodotus and thucydides. As a roman when he wrote romes history he wrote it as if it was already going to be great. If you need a custom essay or research paper on this topic please use our writing services. Nevertheless, donald lateiners excellent introduction allowed even a novice like me to gain an understanding of the marvelous world which herodotus describes, of the historian himself and of his methods, and of the lasting influence of the histories. This happens quite literally in one scene, where hana uses miscellaneous books from the library to repair the stairs.
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