what did herodotus believe in

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Why is Herodotus important?

Herodotus has been called the “father of history.” An engaging narrator with a deep interest in the customs of the people he described, he remains...

What did Herodotus write?

Herodotus’s History is an account of the Greco-Persian Wars (499–479 BCE) and the story of the growth and organization of the Persian empire. Herod...

What did Herodotus do?

In addition to writing, Herodotus traveled widely, visiting a large part of the Persian empire: he went to Egypt, Libya, Syria, Babylonia, Susa in...

Is Herodotus’s History accurate?

Herodotus was not one to resist a good story, and he has developed a reputation for credulity. However, he did not endorse everything he reported....

What was Herodotus' duty?

He believed that his duty was to record the traditions of various peoples, no matter how dubious. Despite mistakes, Herodotus is an invaluable source of information about the Greco-Persian Wars. Scholars believe that Herodotus was born at Halicarnassus, a Greek city in southwest Asia Minor that was then under Persian rule.

Who is Herodotus?

430–420), Greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world, the History of the Greco-Persian Wars. Top Questions.

What book describes the Persian advance into Greece proper?

Book V describes further Persian advances into Greece proper from the Hellespont and the submission of Thrace and Macedonia and many more Greek cities to Persian might, then the beginning of the revolt of the Greek cities of Ionia against Persia in 499, and so to the main subject of the whole work.

Where did Herodotus travel?

In addition to writing, Herodotus traveled widely, visiting a large part of the Persian empire: he went to Egypt, Libya , Syria , Babylonia , Susa in Elam , Lydia, and Phrygia. He journeyed up the Hellespont to Byzantium, visited Thrace and Macedonia, and traveled beyond the Danube to Scythia and as far as the Don River.

Where did Sophocles live?

He is thought to have resided in Athens and to have met Sophocles and then to have left for Thurii, a new colony in southern Italy sponsored by Athens . The latest event alluded to in his History belongs to 430, but how soon after or where he died is not known.

Who is the father of history?

Herodotus has been called the “father of history .”. An engaging narrator with a deep interest in the customs of the people he described, he remains the leading source of original historical information not only for Greece between 550 and 479 BCE but also for much of western Asia and Egypt at that time.

Did Herodotus plan the Persian invasion?

One likely opinion is that Herodotus began with a plan for the history of the war and that later he decided on a description of the Persian Empire itself. For a man like Herodotus was bound to ask himself what the Persian-led invasion force meant. Herodotus was deeply impressed not only by the great size of the Persian Empire but also by the varied and polyglot nature of its army, which was yet united in a single command, in complete contrast to the Greek forces with their political divisions and disputatious commanders, although the Greeks shared a common language, religion, and way of thought and the same feeling about what they were fighting for. This difference had to be explained to his readers, and to this end he describes the empire.

Why was Herodotus criticized?

Herodotus has been criticized for his inclusion of "legends and fanciful accounts" in his work . Authors such as fellow Ancient Greek historian Thucydides have accused him of making up stories for entertainment purposes. In response, Herodotus has explained that he reported what he "saw and [what was] told to him.".

How did Herodotus make his research known to the world?

Herodotus would have made his researches known to the larger world through oral recitations to a public crowd. John Marincola writes in his introduction to the Penguin edition of The Histories that there are certain identifiable pieces in the early books of Herodotus's work which could be labeled as "performance pieces." These portions of the research seem independent and "almost detachable," so that they might have been set aside by the author for the purposes of an oral performance. The intellectual matrix of the 5th century, Marincola suggests, comprised many oral performances in which philosophers would dramatically recite such detachable pieces of their work. The idea was to criticize previous arguments on a topic and emphatically and enthusiastically insert their own in order to win over the audience.

When was Herodotus born?

Modern accounts of his life typically go something like this: Herodotus was born at Halicarnassus around 485 BC. There is no reason to disbelieve the Suda 's information about his family: that it was influential and that he was the son of Lyxes and Dryo, and the brother of Theodorus, and that he was also related to Panyassis – an epic poet of the time.

What island did Herodotus live on?

Herodotus expresses affection for the island of Samos (III, 39–60), and this is an indication that he might have lived there in his youth. So it is possible that his family was involved in an uprising against Lygdamis, leading to a period of exile on Samos and followed by some personal hand in the tyrant's eventual fall.

Why did Herodotus get a reward?

According to Eusebius and Plutarch, Herodotus was granted a financial reward by the Athenian assembly in recognition of his work.

Where is Thucydides buried?

Such at least was the opinion of Marcellinus in his Life of Thucydides. According to the Suda, he was buried in Macedonian Pella and in the agora in Thurium.

What was Herodotus's idea for publishing?

The idea was to criticize previous arguments on a topic and emphatically and enthusiastically insert their own in order to win over the audience. It was conventional in Herodotus's day for authors to "publish" their works by reciting them at popular festivals.

What is the significance of Herodotus's history?

Herodotus of Halicarnassus was an early ethnographer and travel writer, a wealthy and well-educated man. He had much curiosity and interest in the affairs of countries outside Greece, especially in matters concerning religion. His History of the Persian Wars includes a description of the physical geography of different lands, as well as plentiful ethn ography which, while not always accurate, serves in the tradition of such writing to refresh the reader and add intriguing information about the region in question.

What did Herodotus reject?

He rejected, for instance, the old ideas about Ocean (“I know of no river called Ocean and I think that Homer or some other of the early poets invented the name and inserted it into his poetry”), which represented a dramatic shift from earlier authors, who assumed as a matter of course the existence of this vast river.

Who translated Herodotus' history?

Source: Herodotus, The History, translated by David Greene (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987).

What did the Greeks know about the Mediterranean?

Doubtful Knowledge . By the fifth century b.c.e. the well-educated or well-traveled Greek (and there were not many of these), then, was knowledgeable about the whole of the Mediterranean and Black Sea areas and had some idea of size and outlines. Nonetheless, the geographical knowledge of the Greeks was never extensive: they were vague, for example, about regions remote from urban areas and where exactly the people they called the Celts lived. They knew something of southern Russia (a people called the Scythians lived there), but nothing north of the Black Sea except some fantastic tales that Herodotus repeats (further north was a terrain they called “the snowy desert”). Africa remained largely mysterious, although the Greeks did know it was surrounded by water. Their knowledge of Asia included Arabia and as far east as the Indus valley: east of India was all burning desert (a hypothesis repeated by Herodotus); the Greeks did not know of the existence of China.

What is Herodotus' achievement?

Herodotus’ achievement is remarkable in that he could not base his work on official State records written to preserve a continuous history of events, for such records rarely existed.

How accurate is Herodotus's information?

How accurate is the information Herodotus recorded? Regarding the lands he visited and the things he saw with his own eyes, his knowledge is considered accurate. His descriptions of practices unknown in Greece —such as those used in Scythian royal burials or Egyptian mummification— correspond somewhat to what archaeologists have discovered. It has been said that the wealth of information he preserved concerning Egypt “surpasses in importance everything that was written in ancient times upon that country.”

What is the wealth of information that Herodotus preserved concerning Egypt?

It has been said that the wealth of information he preserved concerning Egypt “surpasses in importance everything that was written in ancient times upon that country.”. Often, though, Herodotus had no choice but to rely upon doubtful testimony.

What is the Histories?

The Histories is “a timeless masterpiece, ” says one modern writer. “In it dwells not only history but anthropology, geography, theology, philosophy, political science, and tragic drama.”. In a critical period of world history, Herodotus preserved firsthand information on Greece, Western Asia, and Egypt.

Where did Herodotus grow up?

He grew up in the Greek colony of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, southern Turkey) and visited much of Greece. To collect his information, Herodotus traveled widely. He ventured north to the Black Sea and Scythia, in the area of present-day Ukraine, and south to Palestine and Upper Egypt. To the east, he seems to have reached Babylon, ...

What was life like thousands of years ago?

Such a man lived some 2,400 years ago. His name was Herodotus, and he was a Greek historian of the fifth century B.C.E. The title of his work? The Histories.

Who wrote the verdict on Herodotus?

“We have now collected enough evidence to be able to say that [Herodotus] can be trusted,” wrote the classical historiographer Arnaldo Momigliano. “Orientalists have scrutinized Herodotus with the help of archaeology and with the knowledge of languages that he could not understand.

What did Herodotus talk about in the second book of his Histories?

In the second book of his Histories he describes ancient Egypt and in this episode I’m going to be talking about the Egyptian gods. Herodotus gathered much of his information about Egypt by talking to the scribes and priests in the temples when informed him about the countries traditions and beliefs.

Why is it sacrilegious to tell the stories of the Egyptian gods?

He also often says it would be sacrilegious to tell the stories of the Egyptian gods. Sacrilegious means it would be against religion and might offend the gods. Why would this be? Maybe Herodotus thought that if he showed that the stories of the Egyptian gods were not the same as the Greek ones, people would believe in them rather less. So this gives us something to think about. When you learn about other cultures, and travel to new countries like Herodotus did, you encounter different religions. In fact, in the modern, more globalised world, many religions probably exist on your doorstep.

What was the chief god of Memphis?

Actually the Egyptian name for the chief god at Memphis was Ptah. Ptah was also a worker god, the patron of craftsmen and architects and house builders. Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, was a hive of activity and trades, including building and blacksmithing, and Herodotus naturally thought that their worker god, Ptah, ...

Why do Egyptians shave their eyebrows?

Herodotus tells us that in a house where a cat has died, the family shave their eyebrows to show that they are in mourning. But if anything, they love their dogs even more, because if a dog passed away, they shaved their entire bodies to show how sad they were!

What is the Greek name for the blacksmith god?

And he often gives the Egyptian gods Greek names. For instance, he tells us that he spoke to the priests of Hephaestus. in the Egyptian city of Memphis. Hephaestus was the Greek name for the blacksmith god who worked with metal, making devine swords, armour, chains, and, presumably, horse shoes.

Which religions eat pigs?

To this day, the two great religions of the Middle East, Islam and Judeism, both regard pigs as unclean. But only when it came to the festival of Osiris and the moon, the ancient Egyptians were able to sacrifice a pig and eat it.

Who is the cat god of Egypt?

For instance, Herodotus identifies the Egyptian cat-goddess, Bastet, as Artemis the huntress. They were both, you see, protectors of women.

What is the most important fact about Herodotus?

10 Historical Facts That Herodotus Got Hilariously Wrong. Called the Father of History by Cicero, the Greek historian Herodotus (born in 484 B.C.) wrote The Histories, the Western world’s very first work of history. Gathering research from his travels around Egypt, Africa, and Asia, Herodotus recorded his observations and interviews ...

What was Herodotus' goal?

His stated goal was to record what people told him, even if he didn’t necessarily believe what he heard. Here are 10 things that Herodotus (also called the Father of Lies by historians who doubt his credibility) most likely got wrong in The Histories.

What does Herodotus call the cyclopes?

To further convince his readers that his writings about the cyclopes and griffins are accurate, Herodotus uses a little linguistic evidence: He says that the Scythians (Iranian nomads) call cyclopes “Arimaspoi” because in the Scythian language, arima means “one” and spou means “eye.” Unless and until archaeological evidence uncovers one-eyed humans and a half-lion, half-eagle creature, Herodotus is plain wrong.

Who is the one eyed man in the book Three and Four?

Herodotus makes multiple references in Books Three and Four to one-eyed men (cyclopes, the plural of cyclops) called Arimaspoi. Claiming that these cyclopes steal gold from Grypes (griffins) in northern Europe, Herodotus is not merely relating a mythical story or poem about these creatures; he seems to seriously and sincerely believe that they exist. To prove his point that cyclopes and griffins live in Europe and that the griffins’ job is to guard stockpiles of gold, he refers to the Greek poet Aristeas and the Issedones (ancient residents of Central Asia), who mention the cyclopes and griffins in their stories.

Who was the Greek historian who interpreted Egyptian embalming?

Our understanding of Egyptian embalming and mummification comes largely from Herodotus and other Greek historians like Diodorus of Sicily, but Herodotus got a lot wrong. Anthropologists in 2013 used CT scans of mummies and three-dimensional reconstructions to discredit Herodotus ’s description of the Egyptian embalming process as inaccurate and not representative of what actually happened. We don’t know exactly what sources Herodotus used to get his information on Egyptian customs, but he most likely relied heavily on conversations with locals (who didn’t speak Greek), such as the people of Chemmis (the modern-day Egyptian city of Akhmim).

Was Herodotus a Greek?

However, since he was Greek, Herodotus was not completely impartial, and we have to closely examine his narrative for any pro-Greek, anti-Persian bias in order to get close to the truth. Describing the end of the Battle of Marathon, Herodotus claims that the corpses of 6,400 Persians were left on the battlefield, while only 192 Greeks (Athenians) were killed. Yes, it’s true that the Persian army was significantly larger than the Greek forces, and it’s accurate that the Greeks did conquer the Persians at Marathon. However, the numbers Herodotus uses are exaggerated on such a large scale that historians feel the need to investigate the accuracy of the rest of his accounts of military affairs. Since Herodotus was born six years after the Battle of Marathon, his sources for that information were Greeks who had been influenced and biased by the post-Marathon Athenian political climate. Athenians’ perspective was that their victory at Marathon made Athens the leader of Greece, which they used as the main justification for Athenian imperial policy.

Where are the burials of Herodotus?

For years, a hill known as the soros (burial mound) has been considered to be the only serious candidate for Herodotus’s battlefield burial ground. A large number of burials certainly occurred at this location; many of them were men who died a violent death. Some of the burials include ceramics dating to around the time of Marathon. However, new research dates most of the ceramics that were buried with the dead as from the sixth century B.C.—long before the Battle of Marathon. Another problem is that the soros includes the bones of two women, who certainly were not fighting at Marathon.

What does Herodotus believe about the Greek pantheon?

Herodotus claims that Homer and Hesiod shape d the Greek pantheon: that he accepted their pantheon at face value can not be proven, nor can the opposite view. According to M, however, it is certain that H believes that the gods personally intervened in the war to protect the Greeks from the unholy, impious, unjust, and blasphemous invaders. “Herodotus … tells us what he thinks or accepts that gods do, not what they are ” (p. 139). They ‘act’ as part of their reciprocal partnership with men, who in return, render them honor, τιμή, through prayer, sacrifice, or dedications. Though Herodotus is prepared to believe a good deal of what gods do, there appear to be limits to his belief (or credulity). There are, moreover, various modalities between the two extremes, offering Herodotus plenty of space to air, openly or covertly, his doubts regarding divine intervention.

What is the structure of the book of Herodotus?

In itself, the structure of the book is straightforward: first, a presentation of the evidence; second, a treatise on ‘divinity’ in the evidence; and third, a discussion of Herodotus’ position on the evidence; followed, in an appendix, by a discourse on Herodotus on the origins of ‘divinity’ within the Greek world.

What are the three axioms of Greek religion?

Basically, Greek religion starts from three axioms: the gods exist; the gods pay attention to the affairs of men; there is reciprocity between men and gods. Herodotus claims that Homer and Hesiod shaped the Greek pantheon: that he accepted their pantheon at face value can not be proven, nor can the opposite view.

Why does Herodotus not mention sacrifices?

It may be because of his pragmatism that Herodotus rarely mentions a sacrifice by Greeks to a named deity. Only when the sacrifice is made as part of a new or altered cult is the receiving deity deemed worthy of record. Most of these actions have a commemorative function.

What is the digression in Herodotus' account?

A digression illuminates the practice of the direct link between the Greeks and their gods, i .e. the oracles, the explanation of oracles, and the actions of the so-called chresmologoi, collectors of oracles, who apply oracles of their collections to the situation at hand. M, understandably, dedicates considerable space to events surrounding the battles of Salamis and Plataea and the “special category of the fallen”, i.e., those killed in battle and, therefore, falling between ordinary dead and cultic heroes.

What is the appendix of Herodotus?

The appendix deals with “ Herodotus on the Origins of Greek Religion” (pp. 167-195). Already in the beginning of the first chapter M shows that Herodotus’ position (and, consequently, that of many Greeks) towards religion may, at least occasionally, be described as pragmatic.

What is Herodotus' favorite topoi?

Divine force proves difficult to define, since even the gods are subject to ‘fate’. Hence one of Herodotus’ favorite topoi is the “reversal of human fortune”, especially in the aspect of ‘how the high and mighty fall’.

Who was the first historian to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy and arrange them in a vivid narrative?

In his work,The History of Herodotus , Book 2, Herodotus records an interesting report of flying winged serpents.

What are some interesting facts about dinosaurs?

Dinosaurs in History. Dinosaurs in Archaeology. Living Dinosaurs. Dinosaur Facts. Herodotus' Account of Flying Reptiles. Herodotus was a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC from (484 b.c.-425 b.c.) Many scholars refer to him as "the Father of History" in Western culture. He was the first historian known to collect his materials ...

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