In juxtaposing herodotus narrative with the iliad, foster notices both similarities e. The past century and a half of our era has seen a plethora of research, analysis and comment on the two major greek historians of antiquity. What happened to nicias and what does thucydides think of this. Thus it is reasonable to assume that we can tease out thucydides own beliefs. While reading the works of ancient historians such as livy, herodotus, and thucydides it is natural for one to notice a difference in how each author presents and articulates certain types of events. The greek writer thucydides thoosiduhdees is credited with writing the first scientific history. Similarities and differences between herodotus the. Herodotus covers a good deal of culture and the interrelations between people and countries while often allowing himself to be sidetracked with interesting if not so relevant side notes, whereas thucydides relates the peloponnesian war with attention to the most important events, speeches, and persons involved without going into even a quarter. Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0. At sunrise xerxes made libations, after which he waited until the time when the forum is wont to fill, and then began his advance. The book, here ably translated by university of chicago scholar david grene, earned herodotus the epithet the father of history in ancient times. Thucydides book the history of the peloponnesian war is a well written work of art.
Herodotus visited babylon, phoenicia, egypt, southern russia, and athens, settling in the athenian colony of thurii in southern italy in 443 b. The debate did not really occurthe arguments given by each side were of thucydides own creation. Things like the transitions of rulers and logic and reasoning for going to war are both recurring topics in the writing of these historians. Doc livy and the greek historians from herodotus to. One major theme can be found in book 2, chapter 53, where thucydides describes the situation in athens after it had been stricken with plague during the peloponnesian war. In thucydides, the history of the peloponnesian war, there are many themes that are illustrated throughout various passages. The relationship between thucydides and herodotus, the founding fathers of western history, has always fuelled heated debates between scholars. It is lacking a bit when it comes to historical accuracy but still has historical uses. Pelling traces the similarities between herodotus s approach to physical phenomena why does the nile flood.
Thucydides only described events that happened during his own lifetime, specifically the pellopenesian war. Simon hornblower argues for a relationship between thucydides and pindar not so far acknowledged in modern scholarship. The oxford handbook of thucydides by ryan balot, sarah. While herodotus was labelled as the father of history by cicero, partly for first using history historia to explain his craft. Some historians consider the hellenica to be a personal work, written by xenophon in retirement on his spartan estate. 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.
His works are important because he was the first to pursue a scientific approach. A comparison of herodotus and thucydides essay 611 words. Herodotus and the question why by christopher pelling. Greek order in fighting, verbs of action and innovation herodotus emphasis on explaining events. Feb 10, 2017 edith foster compares thucydides narrative explanations and descriptions of the peloponnesian war in books one and two of the history with the arguments about warfare and war materials offered by the athenian statesman pericles in those same books. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Histories by herodotus and history of the peloponnesian war by thucydides illustrated kindle edition by herodotus, thucydides, tamblyn, nicholas, eglund, katherine. Herodotus quoted many other written sources in his history. Sun tzu and the art of war us army war college war room. Mark the statements that describe a difference between the historical writings of herodotus and thucydides. Similarities and differences between herodotus and thucydides histories have been the topic of much research and dissertation in classic scholarship analyzing their work on issues of historical truth and interpretation, historys relation to myth, the fascination with origins, the differences between chronicle and narrative history. Jan 02, 2009 c icero called herodotus the father of history, but he is not a historians historian in the sense that thucydides is. In thucydides, the peloponnesian war, there is a specific passage that was rejected in antiquity and is still reject now by most modern scholars, book 3 paragraph 84. Through reading the histories of these men, one begins.
Seminal commentaries have appeared, notably those of macan 1895, 1908, of how and wells 19, and of asheri, lloyd and corcella 19881998 on herodotus, and of gomme, andrewes and dover 19451981, and of hornblower 19912008 on thucydides. However, this title has come with some controversy, as herodotus relied on a mixture of orally passed down accounts, myths, and rumors. Thucydides account of the war is one of the earliest scholarly works of history hellenica written by xenophon accounts for the final seven years of the peloponnesian war that was not covered by thucydides. Yu found historical records such detailed and vivid scenes as in the last few books of herodotus, like the battles of marathon and thermopylae and the sea battles at salamis between the greek and the persian navies, or the moving description of the illfated sicilian expedition in books 6 and 7 of thucydides yu 29. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation, and purpose. The historians battle narratives bear resemblances in terms of structure of action and explanation, but thucydides. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Thucydides uses his account of the plague to suggest that war is a violent teacher. Thucydides is regarded as the scientific historian, relying on facts, dates, events and personalities to present the factual narrative of history. 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. 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. Herodotus and the question why is complex and demanding, but compellingly readable. Historical causation in herodotus the histories and. Herodotus, although he has some interest in the facts, is mostly writing to entertain his audiences.
Herodotus has 366 books on goodreads with 123699 ratings. Gods and legends played no role in his history of the peloponnesian war between athens and sparta, which took place in the late fifth century bc. 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. Jul 23, 2018 the differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation and purpose. Thucydides was athenian historian who also served as an athenian general during the war. Military educators often align this book with unconventional war in contrast to the supposed conventional war. We cannot accept orders for books or journals at this time.
Lets talk about the books youve chosen to better understand thucydides and his time. What is the difference between herodotus and thucydides in. To make his history livelier, herodotus included stories that were not necessarily true. The first book on your list is by vincent azoulay, and its called pericles of athens. He traveled over much of the known ancient world, making trips to places such as southern italy, lower egypt, and the caucasus. Pelling deploys an amazingly wide range of material, ancient and modern, with remarkable lucidity. She is the author of thucydides, pericles, and periclean imperialism, of articles on thucydides and lucretius in the american journal of philology 2009 and in sea of languages. Herodotus has provided his systematic methods and vivid narratives, while thucydides has contributed his objectivity and cautiousness to how western civilization interprets history.
Thucydides, the younger man by about 15 years, produced a forthright account. It does seem, however, that this paragraph was added in by almost a want tobe thucydides imitator because it. Thucydides history is, therefore, a relational bridge between the cultures of ancient greece and modern ones. As a roman when he wrote romes history he wrote it as if it was already going to be great.
What is the difference between the works of herodotus and thucydides. To hear this history rehearsed, for that there be inserted in it no fables, shall be perhaps not delightful. Well, both thucydides and herodotus were great greek historians in the ancient greece. And xerxes meanwhile, having made libations at sunrise. In thucydides narrative presentations, she argues, the aggressive deployment of armed force is. Compare the ways that herodotus and thucydides approached the. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading histories by herodotus and history of the peloponnesian war by thucydides. After 27 years of conflict, sparta won, and athens went into decline. There are, however, similarities between modern cultures and those in homers writing, as well as differences between modern ones and those in thucydides writing. Jul 26, 2018 differences between herodotus and thucydides.
For many years, he had been writing an account of the wars between greece and persia, which had ended when he was a small child. Eventually, thucydides and herodotus became close enough for both to be interred in thucydides tomb in athens. Such at least was the opinion of marcellinus in his life of thucydides. Herodotus entertained athenians and other greeks by reading parts of his work for a fee. Although little is known about sun tzu, the art of war has been applied to many contemporary contexts from sports to relationships. With essential historical data conveyed, we can return back to our comparison and contrast of the two historians. The hellenica is xenophons continuation of thucydides history of the peloponnesian war, literally resuming from where the previous authors history was abruptly left unfinished and narrating the events of the final seven years of the conflict and the wars aftermath. What are some similarities and differences between.
What is the difference between the works of herodotus and. This partitioning was a development of the third century b. He distinguishes between the things seen with his own eyes and those of which he had only heard. This book examines the relevant relationship between these historians which is considered, especially nowadays, by historians and philologists to be more significant than previously realized. Not all of what he wrote was actually accurate though and he wrote romes history as if it was a great novel. This book looks at two of the most important ancient greek historians living in the fifth century bce who are considered to be the founders of the western tradition of historiography.
Thucydides had to give up historical accuracies to create a long. Indeed stadters paper models two ways that many of the other contributions take up the matter of the connections between herodotus and thucydides. Analysis of the history of the peloponnesian war, by. 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. Herodotus passes no judgement, but reports what he has heard, even when plainly ridiculous. Nov 09, 2011 a comparison of herodotus and thucydides the persian and peloponnesian wars were both significant conflicts that tested independence. As digital tools have demonstrated the data to infer the differences between both historians, their impact on the subject of history is unquestionable. An analysis of thucydides views on the melian dialogue the melian dialogue is a debate between melian and athenian representatives concerning the sovereignty of melos. He argues that ancient critics were right to detect stylistic similarities between these two great exponents of the severe style in prose and verse.
In herodotus the histories xerxes, god king of the persians makes daily libations from book seven of herodotus. Pericles was a general, the leader we most associate with athens golden age, but he ended up dying of plague before the end of the peloponnesian war. C was a greek historian who wrote the history of the peloponnesian war. Herodotus and thucydides take two different approaches in recording history.
An introduction for the common reader ebook written by perez zagorin. Herodotus was curious and learned everything he could about the nongreek world. The volume includes an introduction by the editors which addresses our changing view of how. Thucydides prided himself on his accuracy as an historian, contrasting his works with those of writers like herodotus, who, he said, relied more on storytelling than research. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read thucydides. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of scientific history by those who accept his claims to. Jul 15, 2019 herodotus and the question why is complex and demanding, but compellingly readable.
What are the common things between thucydides and herodotus. His history of the peloponnesian war recounts the fifthcentury bc war between sparta and athens until the year 411 bc. Herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers. It is an interesting and fun book to read but is lacking when is comes to specific events and speeches. They are both considered fathers of their respective branches of historiography. He is known for having written the book the histories greek.
View herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers on academia. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of scientific history due to his strict standards of evidence. In sun tzu and the art of war, paul kan explains the impacts of sun tzus famed treatise on war. What was the fate of most of the athenian prisoners. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Livy and the greek historians from herodotus to dionysius. May 03, 2012 edith foster is associate professor of history at ashland university. Cicero, a roman politician and lawyer, regarded herodotus as the father of history, a title that has remained with him for centuries luce. This should come later it is not an introduction to a whole paper always assume your reader is not familiar with your topic in his book titled, the history of the peloponnesian war, thucydides brings to light, some of the causes. How important was the sicilian expedition, in thucydides view. He detested any reliance on the supernatural, abhorred subjectivity and strived to be as objecti. So i would assume that either thucydides or herodotus would be the greatest historian of all times. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of scientific. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation and purpose.
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