The history of Greece.
In most places, people did not write history. Legends and myths explained their past. some civilizations kept long lists of rulers, but no one tried to explain the past by studing events.
Herodotus
Herodotus was born in Halicarnassus a Greek city in southwest Asia Minor and
lived in the 5th Century. Herodotus was a Greek Historian from Ionia. He is most
notably known for his writing of The Histories.
The first six books deals with the growth of the Persian Empire under the
rulers of Croesus and later Cyrus the Great .The second book is largely
concerned with Egypt and the annexing of it by Cyrus's successor Cambyses. The
next four books consist of the expansion of the Persian Empire under Darius, the
Ionian revolt and the burning of Sardis. The sixth book details the first
Persian attack of Greece and the defeat of the Persians at the battle of
Marathon in 490 B.C. The last three books describe Xerxes invasion of Greece and
their eventual defeat at Salamis and Plataea in 479 B.C2.
There is not a lot of information about Herodotus and most of our
information about him comes from his actual writing itself. It has been debated
vigorously by historians that he was born between 500 B.C. and 470 B.C. The
reason for this is that in his writing of The Histories he does not actually
mention having witnessed the Persian War of 480-479 B.C. The date of his death
is also a mystery and has been argued by historians over the years. However, as
Thucydides mentions in his book The Peloponnesian Wars (2.67) stating the
execution of two Spartan officers in Athens as does Herodotus in Book 7.137 of
The Histories it is reasonable to assume that he was alive then. It is believed
that Herodotus died in the period of 429-413 B.C. in the plague of Athens which
claimed the lives of thousands of Athenians. As Thucydides in 6.93 tells of
Deccelea being plundered by Spartans in 413 B.C. something that Herodotus in
9.73 does not mention. Therefore it is fair to assume that he died between
429-413 B.C3.
It is obvious from his writings that he was a seasoned traveller and
regularly visited many places and cities. This is evident from his writing where
he is describes visiting places such as the Nile(Hdt 2.29.1), Sicily and even
interviewing the priests at Babylon(Hdt 1.193.4)It would be fair to say that
Herodotus was the first person of his time to actively travel around the world
to report his accounts. It is because of this that he has become known as the
Father of History
lived in the 5th Century. Herodotus was a Greek Historian from Ionia. He is most
notably known for his writing of The Histories.
The first six books deals with the growth of the Persian Empire under the
rulers of Croesus and later Cyrus the Great .The second book is largely
concerned with Egypt and the annexing of it by Cyrus's successor Cambyses. The
next four books consist of the expansion of the Persian Empire under Darius, the
Ionian revolt and the burning of Sardis. The sixth book details the first
Persian attack of Greece and the defeat of the Persians at the battle of
Marathon in 490 B.C. The last three books describe Xerxes invasion of Greece and
their eventual defeat at Salamis and Plataea in 479 B.C2.
There is not a lot of information about Herodotus and most of our
information about him comes from his actual writing itself. It has been debated
vigorously by historians that he was born between 500 B.C. and 470 B.C. The
reason for this is that in his writing of The Histories he does not actually
mention having witnessed the Persian War of 480-479 B.C. The date of his death
is also a mystery and has been argued by historians over the years. However, as
Thucydides mentions in his book The Peloponnesian Wars (2.67) stating the
execution of two Spartan officers in Athens as does Herodotus in Book 7.137 of
The Histories it is reasonable to assume that he was alive then. It is believed
that Herodotus died in the period of 429-413 B.C. in the plague of Athens which
claimed the lives of thousands of Athenians. As Thucydides in 6.93 tells of
Deccelea being plundered by Spartans in 413 B.C. something that Herodotus in
9.73 does not mention. Therefore it is fair to assume that he died between
429-413 B.C3.
It is obvious from his writings that he was a seasoned traveller and
regularly visited many places and cities. This is evident from his writing where
he is describes visiting places such as the Nile(Hdt 2.29.1), Sicily and even
interviewing the priests at Babylon(Hdt 1.193.4)It would be fair to say that
Herodotus was the first person of his time to actively travel around the world
to report his accounts. It is because of this that he has become known as the
Father of History
Thucydides.
Thucydides was a Greek historian who was born in Alimos between the years 460 and 455 B.C and died between 411 and 400 B.C. He is known for his book The History of the Peloponnesian War which details the war between Sparta and Athens in the 5th Century. As with many authors of that time much of the information we know about him comes from this, his sole work, where we gain our views of his
personality and his thoughts on the leaders of Athens.
Thucydides was an Athenian aristocrat who it is believed was in his late twenties or early thirties when the war first broke out in 431 B.C. Thucydides famously describes to us the plague of Athens in 430 B.C, which killed nearly a third of the Athenian population and also Athenian leader Pericles. Thucydides gives us a detailed account of the plague and the hardship it caused the Athenians.
personality and his thoughts on the leaders of Athens.
Thucydides was an Athenian aristocrat who it is believed was in his late twenties or early thirties when the war first broke out in 431 B.C. Thucydides famously describes to us the plague of Athens in 430 B.C, which killed nearly a third of the Athenian population and also Athenian leader Pericles. Thucydides gives us a detailed account of the plague and the hardship it caused the Athenians.