Herodotus -- Ancient History Encyclopedia

Definition

Herodotus (490/480 – 425 BCE) was called by the Roman writer and orator Cicero, “the Father of History” for his work The Histories, and has been known by that title since. Herodotus traveled widely in Egypt, Africa and Asia Minor and, more importantly, wrote down his experiences and observations, providing later generations with first-hand (though, in the opinion of his contemporaries, and later writers, not always reliable) reports on important historical events (such as the Battles of Marathon and Peluseum) every day life in Greece, in Egypt, in Asia Minor and on the seven wonders of the ancient world. He also called into question the historical truth of the works of Homer asking the cogent question of why the Greeks would wage so lengthy and costly a campaign as the Trojan War on behalf of one woman.

Though born at Halicarnassus (on the south-west coast of Asia Minor) Herodotus knew Athens and her history well and wrote at length on the city and its past. It is perhaps his standing in Athens as a metic (someone born outside of Athens and, so, forever denied full rights of citizenship) which lead many Athenian writers to denigrate his Histories as fabrications since Athenians traditionally mistrusted non-Athenian accounts of their own history and especially that of the Battle of Marathon. Herodotus eventually came to live in the Greek colony of Thuria, Italy, where he edited and revised his Histories and died in 425 BCE.

Written by Joshua J. Mark, published 02 September 2009.

Bibliography

Peer Review

Are you qualified to peer review ancient history information? Apply now and help provide quality ancient history information on the web!

Add Article

Articles

Natural history in Herodotus’ "Histories"

This thesis argues that Herodotus should be considered in the context of early Greek science, and in the history of the development of Greek speculative thought in general, not only because of the range of his interests which includes questions about the causes and processes underlying natural phenomena...
Depictions of India in Ancient Literature

Herodotus (484 BC – c. 425 BC) has been called the Father of History since he was the first historian known to collect his materials in detail, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a well-constructed and vivid narrative. The Histories — his masterpiece and the...
Ancient Geography of India

The first text in Greek devoted entirely to India was written by Ctesias in the fourth century BC. Only fragments of it survive. Yet he was probably the most widely quoted author on India, although Aristotle treated him with contempt. However, soon after Aristotle drew upon Ctesias’ writings...
Herodotus: On The Customs of the Persians

Herodotus (484-425 BCE) the Greek historian who wrote extensively on the Persian Empire, here describes Persian customs as they would have been practiced around the year 430 BCE at Susa and other Persian communities. The passage, from Book I of his Histories, is interesting in the way Herodotus contrasts...
Herodotus on Burial in Egypt

II:85. Their fashions of mourning and of burial are these: Whenever any household has lost a man who is of any regard amongst them, the whole number of women of that house forthwith plaster over their heads or even their faces with mud. Then leaving the corpse within the house they go themselves to and...