Herodotus c.484 B.C-c.429/425 B.C. Greek historian. INTRODUCTION Called the "father of history" by the Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero‚ Herodotus is best known for his long and compelling prose account of life in Greece‚ Asia Minor‚ and Egypt which focuses on the causes and events of the Greco-Persian Wars. For Herodotus‚ history (historiai) meant "inquiry‚" and his attentions in the History are devoted not just to epic moments in the past‚ but also to geography‚ ethnology‚ and myth
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Histories‚ written by Herodotus‚ have the theme of punishment scattered throughout. Many of the stories are based upon punishment and cruelty‚ partly because this book tells the story of how the Greek city states fight off the Persians time and time again. However‚ it is not only in battle it cruelty and punishment seen; the idea of punishment and cruelty for power‚ revenge‚ and control is seen throughout the entire work. Among the stories of The Histories‚ the punishments that Herodotus includes are astonishing
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Herodotus: The Father of History Many students today propose the question‚ "why do we study history‚ what does it have to do with us?" This question is not a new idea; in fact‚ the Greeks didn’t concern themselves with true scientific history until after 500 B.C. Up until this point the Greeks focused mainly on myths and legends that explained how to please their many gods. It wasn’t until the time of Herodotus that any emphasis was placed on recording a true account of the past. In Herodotus’ writings
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Herodotus and Tacitus‚ great writers of their time‚ reflect on their thoughts about their own civilizations and what views they had on the civilizations of their enemies at the time of their writings. While these men lived almost 500 years apart‚ and in different parts of the world‚ their writings both seem to express both displeasure and acceptance of other civilizations customs and ways of life. Herodotus‚ a Greek‚ focused his writings the Persians‚ the Greek enemy at the time. Since Herodotus
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Herodotus’ writes his Histories for Greeks. Specifically for Greeks living in Herodotus’ own time. The statement of purpose which begins the work seems to contradict this hypothesis. Herodotus claims to wish to "prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time‚ and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable achievements " [Herodotus‚ 1.0]. The underlying assumption here is that the author is preserving these events and achievements for future generations and perhaps even future
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Women in Herodotus’ The Histories From Helen of Troy to Candaules’ queen‚ historians have documented many quarrels over women. One historian in particular‚ Herodotus‚ wrote often of the implications women had on the history before him. Women over history played largely a secondary role in almost everything‚ from politics to simple household decision-making. Women also were married off in order to gain land and status for their families‚ especially their fathers. Yet wars‚ both civil and foreign
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QUESTIONS FOR HERODOTUS’ THE HISTORIES I. Who is Herodotus’s intended audience? Why was it written? A. His intended audience was the Greeks. B. It was written to tell the story of the Pelopensisan War C. Written to cover the conquests of Cyrus as he takes over much of the known world by ruling the Persian Empire. D. Herodotus was half Greek and half Persian E. He intended his work to undermine Hellenic ethnocentricity -- to open the Greek mind to to the rich diversity of the surrounding
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Xerxes lived from 520 to 465BC. He was the grandson of Cyrus and son of Darius. Xerxes was put into succession according to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus‚ as Xerxes was the first son of Darius’s wife Atossa. Xerxes father Darius 1 died in 486BC‚ and this is where Xerxes took over for his father and became king. Xerxes continued his father strategy of consolidating and tightening control of the empire‚ particularly in Egypt‚ Babylon and Asiatic Greece. Xerxes felt he needed to invade Greece
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hostilities were quite extreme‚ due to Xerxes’ military decision to acquire Greece‚ there were few written sources which were not composed by his opposition or heavily influenced by the bitter relationship. Despite accounts‚ by composers such as Herodotus and Aeschylus‚ there has been recent attempt to consider both ancient and modern sources to balance his image. In the endeavor to reevaluate a reign that has much maligned throughout history and to reconsider a personality who has been at the mercy
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scientific circuses there are still a lot of theory about how and whom the pyramid was constructed by. According to ancient Greek historian Herodotus‚ Khufu enslaved his people to build his pyramid. Most of the modern Egyptologists believe it was built instead by tens of thousands of skilled workers‚ both men and women. There is another theory from Herodotus‚ which states that machines formed of short wooden planks were used to raise the stones. “After laying the stones for the base‚ they raised
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