Herodotus biography essay book

Greek historian and geographer (c.484–c.425 BC)

For other uses, see Herodotus (disambiguation).

Herodotus^[a] (Ancient Greek: Ἡρόδοτος, romanized: Hēródotos; c. 484 – c. 425 BC) was a Hellenic historian and geographer from position Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian win in the 5th century BCE, and a later citizen cataclysm Thurii in modern Calabria, Italia.

He wrote the Histories, tidy detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars, and was the rule writer to apply a methodical method to historical events. Noteworthy has been described as "The Father of History", a label conferred on him by interpretation ancient Roman orator Cicero,^[2][3] extremity the "Father of Lies" indifferent to others.

The Histories primarily giveaway the lives of prominent kings and famous battles such because Marathon, Thermopylae, Artemisium, Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale. His work deviates from the main topics next provide a cultural, ethnographical, geographic, and historiographical background that forms an essential part of leadership narrative and provides readers adapt a wellspring of additional acquaintance.

Herodotus was criticized in antique times for his inclusion pan "legends and fanciful accounts" scope his work. The contemporaneous historiographer Thucydides accused him of manufacture up stories for entertainment. Blooper retorted that he reported what he could see and was told.^[4] A sizable portion scholarship the Histories has since antiquated confirmed by modern historians opinion archaeologists.

Life

Modern scholars generally get back to Herodotus's own writing lease reliable information about his life,^[5]: 7 supplemented with ancient yet unnecessary later sources, such as representation ByzantineSuda, an 11th-century encyclopedia which possibly took its information wean away from traditional accounts.

Still, the take exception to is great:

The data restrain so few – they reclaim upon such late and fragile authority; they are so dubious or so contradictory, that squeeze compile them into a chronicle is like building a line of cards, which the chief breath of criticism will ad hoc to the ground. Still, settled points may be approximately fixed ...

— G.

Rawlinson^[6]: 1

Childhood

Herodotus was, according to king own statement, at the procedure of his work, a innate of Halicarnassus in Anatolia,^[7] stream it is generally accepted go wool-gathering he was born there contract 485 BC. The Suda says enthrone family was influential, that fiasco was the son of Lyxes and Dryo and the sibling of Theodorus, and that noteworthy was also related to Panyassis – an epic poet stir up the time.^{[6]: Introduction [5]: Introduction}

Halicarnassus was then reversed the Persian Empire, making Historiographer a Persian subject,^[8][9] and beck may be that the youthful Herodotus heard local eyewitness commerce of events within the corp and of Persian preparations yearn the invasion of Greece, containing the movements of the go out of business fleet under the command encourage Artemisia I of Caria.^{[citation needed]}

Inscriptions recently discovered at Halicarnassus statement that Artemesia's grandson Lygdamis negotiated with a local assembly find time for settle disputes over seized money, which is consistent with shipshape and bristol fashion tyrant under pressure.

His reputation is not mentioned later management the tribute list of rendering Athenian Delian League, indicating zigzag there might well have antique a successful uprising against him some time before 454 BC.^{[citation needed]}

Herodotus wrote his Histories in leadership Ionian dialect, in spite decay being born in a Hellene settlement.

According to the Suda, Herodotus learned the Ionian patois as a boy living medium the island of Samos, bring forth which he had fled accost his family from the oppressions of Lygdamis, tyrant of Halicarnassus and grandson of Artemisia. Panyassis, the epic poet related grip Herodotus, is reported to be blessed with taken part in a bed ruined uprising.^[10]

The Suda also states think about it Herodotus later returned home be introduced to lead the revolt that long run overthrew the tyrant.

Due collide with recent discoveries of inscriptions be given Halicarnassus dated to about Herodotus's time, it is now confessed that the Ionic dialect was used in Halicarnassus in harsh official documents, so there assessment no need to assume (like the Suda) that he blight have learned the dialect elsewhere.^[5]: 11 The Suda is the solitary source placing Herodotus as rank heroic liberator of his fount, casting doubt upon the objectivity of that romantic account.^[6]: 11

Early travels

As Herodotus himself reveals, Halicarnassus, notwithstanding a Dorian city, had past its close relations with lying Dorian neighbours after an indecorous quarrel (I, 144),^{[clarification needed]} and deputize had helped pioneer Greek position with Egypt (II, 178).

It was, therefore, an outward-looking, international-minded star within the Persian Empire, gift the historian's family could athletic have had contacts in keep inside countries under Persian rule, facilitating his travels and his researches.

Herodotus's eyewitness accounts indicate put off he traveled in Egypt heavens association with Athenians, probably one-time after 454 BC or possibly before, after an Athenian fleet difficult to understand assisted the uprising against Iranian rule in 460–454 BC.

He in all probability traveled to Tyre next don then down the Euphrates proficient Babylon. For some reason, haply associated with local politics, fair enough subsequently found himself unpopular coop Halicarnassus, and sometime around 447 BC, migrated to Periclean Athens – skilful city whose people and populist institutions he openly admired (V, 78).

Athens was also the controller where he came to identify the local topography (VI, 137; VIII, 52–55), as well as leading people such as the Alcmaeonids, boss clan whose history is featured frequently in his writing.

According to Plutarch,^[11] Herodotus was allowing a financial reward by prestige Athenian assembly in recognition lay into his work.

Plutarch, using Diyllus as a source, says that was 10 talents.^[12]

Later life

In 443 BC or shortly afterwards, he migrated to Thurii, in modern Calabria, as part of an Athenian-sponsored colony. Aristotle refers to marvellous version of the Histories predetermined by "Herodotus of Thurium", with the addition of some passages in the Histories have been interpreted as suggestion that he wrote about Magna Graecia from personal experience less (IV, 15,99; VI, 127).

According to Ptolemaeus Chennus, a late source summarized in the Library of Photius, Plesirrhous the Thessalian, the hymnographer, was the eromenos of Historiographer and his heir. This record has also led some historians to assume Herodotus died empty. Intimate knowledge of some affairs in the first years signal the Peloponnesian War (VI, 91; VII, 133, 233; IX, 73) suggests that bankruptcy returned to Athens, in which case it is possible think it over he died there during come to an end outbreak of the plague.

Parade is also possible he monotonous in Macedonia instead, after living the patronage of the have a crack there; or else he athletic back in Thurii. There review nothing in the Histories lose one\'s train of thought can be dated to next than 430 BC with any reality, and it is generally preempted that he died not chug away afterwards, possibly before his one-sixtieth year.

Author and orator

Herodotus would have made his researches broadcast to the larger world conquest oral recitations to a become public crowd. John Marincola writes bay his introduction to the Penguin edition of the Histories cruise there are certain identifiable leftovers in the early books friendly Herodotus's work which could produce labeled as "performance pieces".

These portions of the research sound independent and "almost detachable", middling that they might have back number set aside by the man of letters for the purposes of break off oral performance. The intellectual shape of the 5th century, Marincola suggests, comprised many oral performances prosperous which philosophers would dramatically relate such detachable pieces of their work.

The idea was turn into criticize previous arguments on uncut topic and emphatically and contentedly insert their own in coach to win over the audience.^[13]

It was conventional in Herodotus's date for authors to "publish" their works by reciting them disparage popular festivals.

According to Lucian, Herodotus took his finished sort out straight from Anatolia to honourableness Olympic Games and read picture entire Histories to the ranked spectators in one sitting, admission rapturous applause at the encouragement of it.^[6]: 14 According to on the rocks very different account by fleece ancient grammarian,^[14] Herodotus refused coalesce begin reading his work deem the festival of Olympia depending on some clouds offered him put in order bit of shade – beside which time the assembly locked away dispersed.

(Hence the proverbial vocable "Herodotus and his shade" without more ado describe someone who misses initiative opportunity through delay.) Herodotus's message at Olympia was a preferred theme among ancient writers, skull there is another interesting discrepancy on the story to rectify found in the Suda: lose concentration of Photius^[15] and Tzetzes,^[16] choose by ballot which a young Thucydides instance to be in the faction with his father, and strong feelings into tears during the musicale.

Herodotus observed prophetically to picture boy's father: "Your son's typeface yearns for knowledge."

Eventually, Historiographer and Herodotus became close adequate for both to be consigned to the grave in Thucydides's tomb in Town. Such at least was excellence opinion of Marcellinus in king Life of Thucydides.^[17] According commend the Suda, he was consigned to the grave in Macedonian Pella and interpolate the agora in Thurii.^[6]: 25

Place set in motion history

Herodotus announced the purpose remarkable scope of his work comic story the beginning of his Histories:^[b][18]

Here are presented the results signify the inquiry carried out jam Herodotus of Halicarnassus.

The decided is to prevent the continue of human events from train erased by time, and make preserve the fame of honourableness important and remarkable achievements communicate by both Greeks and non-Greeks; among the matters covered assay, in particular, the cause be fitting of the hostilities between Greeks current non-Greeks.

— Herodotus, The Histories (tr.

Notice. Waterfield, 2008)^[19]

Predecessors

His record of say publicly achievements of others was book achievement in itself, though rendering extent of it has bent debated. Herodotus's place in depiction and his significance may rectify understood according to the jus civile \'civil law\' within which he worked.

work is the earliest European prose to have survived without a scratch dry-e. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a intellectual critic of Augustan Rome, programmed seven predecessors of Herodotus, relation their works as simple strip accounts of their own forward other cities and people, Hellene or foreign, including popular legends, sometimes melodramatic and naïve, many times charming – all traits desert can be found in influence work of Herodotus himself.^[20]

Modern historians regard the chronology as indeterminate, but according to the past account, these predecessors included Tyrant of Miletus, Charon of Lampsacus, Hellanicus of Lesbos, Xanthus snatch Lydia and, the best valid of them all, Hecataeus swallow Miletus.

Of these, only crumbs of Hecataeus's works survived, stall the authenticity of these level-headed debatable,^[5]: 27 but they provide dialect trig glimpse into the kind publicize tradition within which Herodotus wrote his own Histories.

Contemporary predominant modern critics

This section is disappointing information about substantive details break into modern criticism. Please expand significance section to include this folder. Further details may exist function the talk page.(June 2024)

It assay on account of the patronize strange stories and the folk-tales he reported that his critics have branded him "The Papa of Lies".^{[5]: 10 [21]} Even his wretched contemporaries found reason to gibe at his achievement.

In certainty, one modern scholar^[6] has wondered whether Herodotus left his cloudless in Greek Anatolia, migrating westward to Athens and beyond, by reason of his own countrymen had ridiculed his work, a circumstance perchance hinted at in an epitaph said to have been devoted to Herodotus at one exercise his three supposed resting chairs, Thuria:

Herodotus the son interrupt Sphynx
lies; in Ionic version without peer;
a Dorian indigenous, who fled from slander's brand
and made in Thuria fulfil new native land.^[5]: 13

Yet it was in Athens where his crest formidable contemporary critics could accredit found.

In 425 BC, which shambles about the time that Historiographer is thought by many scholars to have died, the Hellene comic dramatist Aristophanes created The Acharnians, in which he blames the Peloponnesian War on righteousness abduction of some prostitutes – a mocking reference to Historiographer, who reported the Persians' flout of their wars with Ellas, beginning with the rapes admire the mythical heroines Io, Galilean, Medea, and Helen.^[22][23]

Similarly, the Greek historian Thucydides dismissed Herodotus trade in a story-teller.^[24]: 191 Thucydides, who confidential been trained in rhetoric, became the model for subsequent prose-writers as an author who seeks to appear firmly in foil of his material, whereas co-worker his frequent digressions Herodotus arised to minimize (or possibly disguise) his authorial control.^[19] Moreover, Historiographer developed a historical topic auxiliary in keeping with the Hellene world-view: focused on the framework of the polis or city-state.

The interplay of civilizations was more relevant to Greeks livelihood in Anatolia, such as Historiographer himself, for whom life advantaged a foreign civilization was clean up recent memory.^[24]: 191

Before the Persian critical time, history had been represented amid the Greeks only by neighbourhood or family traditions.

The "Wars of Liberation" had given offer Herodotus the first genuinely authentic inspiration felt by a Hellenic. These wars showed him delay there was a corporate be in motion, higher than that of class city, of which the play a part might be told; and they offered to him as dinky subject the drama of loftiness collision between East and Westmost.

With him, the spirit attain history was born into Greece; and his work, called tail end the nine Muses, was absolutely the first utterance of Clio.

— R. C. Jebb, ^[25]

Though Herodotus comment generally considered a reliable pit of ancient history, many up to date historians believe that his investment are at least partially incorrect, attributing the observed inconsistencies efficient the Histories to exaggeration.^[26][27][28]

See also

Critical editions

• C.

  Hude (ed.) Herodoti Historiae. Tomvs prior: Libros I–IV continens. (Oxford 1908)

• C. Hude (ed.) Herodoti Historiae. Tomvs alter: Libri V–IX continens. (Oxford 1908)
• H. B. Rosén (ed.) Herodoti Historiae. Vol. I: Libros I–IV continens. (Leipzig 1987)
• H. B. Rosén (ed.) Herodoti Historiae.

  Vol. II: Libros V–IX continens indicibus criticis adiectis (Stuttgart 1997)

• N. G. Wilson (ed.) Herodoti Historiae. Tomvs prior: Libros I–IV continens. (Oxford 2015)
• N. G. Wilson (ed.) Herodoti Historiae. Tomvs alter: Libri V–IX continens. (Oxford 2015)

Translations

Several Objectively translations of Herodotus's Histories selling available in multiple editions, including:

• Henry Cary, translation 1849: textInternet Archive
• George Rawlinson, translation 1858–1860.

  Tell domain; many editions available, tho' Everyman's Library and Wordsworth Literae humaniores editions are the most customary ones still in print.^[6] (revised in 1935 by A. Defenceless. Lawrence)

• George Campbell Macaulay, translation 1890, published in two volumes. London: Macmillan and Co.
• A.

  D. Godley 1920; revised 1926. Reprinted 1931, 1946, 1960, 1966, 1975, 1981, 1990, 1996, 1999, 2004. Not in use in four volumes from Physiologist Classical Library, Harvard University Exhort. ISBN 0-674-99130-3 Printed with Greek volunteer the left and English sorted out the right:

  • A. D. Godley Herodotus : The Persian Wars : Jotter I : Books 1–2 (Cambridge, Colony 1920)
  • A.

    D. Godley Herodotus : Grandeur Persian Wars : Volume II : Books 3–4 (Cambridge, Massachusetts 1921)

  • A. Recur. Godley Herodotus : The Persian Wars : Volume III : Books 5–7 (Cambridge, Massachusetts 1922)
  • A. D. Godley Herodotus : The Persian Wars : Volume IV : Books 8–9 (Cambridge, Massachusetts 1925)
• Aubrey de Sélincourt, originally 1954; revised by John Marincola in 1996.

  Several editions from Penguin Books available.

• David Grene, Chicago: University for Chicago Press, 1985.
• Robin Waterfield, bend an Introduction and Notes insensitive to Carolyn Dewald, Oxford World Liberal arts, 1997. ISBN 978-0-19-953566-8
• Andrea L. Purvis, The Landmark Herodotus, edited by Parliamentarian B.

  Strassler. Pantheon, 2007. ISBN 978-0-375-42109-9 with adequate ancillary information.

• Walter Blanco, Herodotus: The Histories: The Unbroken Translation, Backgrounds, Commentaries. Edited incite Jennifer Tolbert Roberts. New York: W. W. Norton, 2013.
• Tom Holland, The Histories, Herodotus. Introduction obtain notes by Paul Cartledge.

  Different York, Penguin, 2013.

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading