The relationship between thucydides and herodotus, the founding fathers of. Herodotus history was divided into nine books, named for the nine muses. A comparison of herodotus and thucydides the persian and peloponnesian wars were both significant conflicts that tested independence. Herodotus, by contrast, always seemed a bit of a sucker. The next four books tell the story of the war itself, from the invasions of greece by persian emperors darius and xerxes to the greek triumphs at. In writing this book, i have incurred a number of debts.
When analyzing the writings of herodotus and thucydides, the authors. To make his history livelier, herodotus included stories that were not necessarily true. Unlike herodotus, whose stories often teach that a hubris. Crane lo31 illuminates some of these differences statistically. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of scientific history by those who accept his claims to. How did the history writing of thucydides differ from that. He detested any reliance on the supernatural, abhorred subjectivity and strived to be as objecti. Typically early printed books and especially manuscripts. 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. Thucydides himself, as i understand it, was not the plainest writerhis own style is complex and layered, and it seems as though all the translations i was able to look at reflect this. Hardly any justification is needed for the topic of this book. The state of greece from the earliest times to the commencement of the peloponnesian war.
Imprint satement of place, publisher and date of publication on a books title page. Herodotus and thucydides were the first historians, but their work was very different. Thucydides and herodotus in the ancient rhetorical. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. As a general in the peloponnesian warpeloponnesian war, 431404 b. 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. Thucydides was athenian historian who also served as an athenian general during the war. The volume consists of books 2 of livys history of rome and conforms to the style of other volumes in this series, such as the herodotus and thucydides both 2006 described above. Thucydides is regarded as the scientific historian, relying on facts, dates, events and personalities to present the factual narrative of history. Indeed stadters paper models two ways that many of the other contributions take up the matter of the connections between herodotus and thucydides. Herodotus quoted many other written sources in his history. View herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers on academia. Herodotus, although he has some interest in the facts, is mostly writing to entertain his audiences.
What is different about the works of herodotus and thucydides. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation, and purpose. Free herodotus and thucydides greek historians essay. Click more information to see individual titles and access sample pages, including contents page, sample text, maps, art, introduction, chronological outline, appendices, and. Herodotus and thucydides peloponnesian war by courtney.
Aesthetically, i really like the newer series with its crisp poliphilus. What is the difference between the works of herodotus and. At times, issue refers to timing, such as the first. His works are important because he was the first to pursue a scientific approach. Choose from 40 different sets of thucydides herodotus flashcards on quizlet. List of books and articles about thucydides online. What is the difference between herodotus and thucydides in. What are the common things between thucydides and herodotus. The history of the peloponnesian war britannica great books of the western world, 6 herodotus, thucydides, robert maynard hutchins, george rawlinson, richard crawley on. Thucydides only described events that happened during his own lifetime, specifically the pellopenesian war. Thucydides seems to believe acting from a position of strength is the best route to leading to a good life, a good example is when he recalls communication between athens and melos in the melian dialogues. Herodotus wrote about the persian wars and is credited with.
His history of the peloponnesian war recounts the fifthcentury bc war between sparta and athens until the year 411 bc. Herodotus has provided his systematic methods and vivid narratives, while thucydides has contributed his objectivity and cautiousness to how western civilization interprets history. Whatever his desire, stated in his preface, to pinpoint the root cause of the persian wars the rather abstract word he uses, aitie. His great contribution to history and historiography is contained in this one dense history of the 27year war between athens and sparta, each with their respective allies. They are both considered fathers of their respective branches of historiography. 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. Both historians differ in their to approaches to recording events in history but they have helped us to get some insight on the reasons of war and historic events.
Learn thucydides herodotus with free interactive flashcards. Herodotus, thucydides, and historiography research papers. He began to write when they first took up arms, believing that it would be great and memorable above any previous war. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. Among the greeks there exist a common bond, a community of blood and language, temples and rituals and common customs. Thucydides persian wars 149 greater than the persian wars. Issue a group of books issued by the publisher as a discrete unit. Thucydides history of the peloponnesian war, the first major contribution to greek historiography after herodotuss histories, is a much grimmer work than its predecessor. Not a philosophical work, it is considered of great importance within political and philosophical enquiry. Herodotus wrote about the wars between greece and persia, aka the persian war, while thucydides wrote about the war between athens and sparta, aka the peloponnesian war.
Herodotus visited babylon, phoenicia, egypt, southern russia, and athens, settling in the athenian colony of thurii in southern italy in 443 b. After his death, thucydides history was subdivided into eight books. Thucydides, greatest of ancient greek historians and author of the history of the peloponnesian war, which recounts the struggle between athens and sparta in the 5th century bc. Herodotus and thucydides take two different approaches in recording history. Peloponnesian war chronicled nearly 30 years of war and tension between athens and sparta first writer to interpret the war in purely human terms rather then searching for divine causes divided into 8 books that cover 21 of the 27 years the. Mark the statements that describe a difference between the historical writings of herodotus and thucydides. A historian for our time thucydides may have been the more trustworthy historian, but herodotus would have been more fun to share a wineskin withand is a better guide to the godfilled. As digital tools have demonstrated the data to infer the differences between both historians, their impact on the subject of history is unquestionable. The differences between herodotus and thucydides are in style, interpretation and purpose.
Herodotus wrote about the wars between persia and greece. In the history, thucydides attempts to disclose the underlying causes of the war between athens and sparta. He thus had opportunity to acquaint himself with both the. Thucydides, an athenian, wrote the history of the war in which the peloponnesians and the athenians fought against one another. 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. Mark the statements that describe a difference between the. Herodotus passes no judgement, but reports what he has heard, even when plainly ridiculous.
The history was divided into separate books by later scholars, but is now, in its. This partitioning was a development of the third century b. Herodotus was writing about the relatively cheerful subject for a greek of a conflict which the united greek cities won against a foreign invader, while thucydides topic. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Thucydides, who wrote a history of the peloponnesian war between the two power blocs led by athens and by sparta 431404 b. 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.
Eventually, thucydides and herodotus became close enough for both to be interred in thucydides tomb in athens. Compare the ways that herodotus and thucydides approached. While herodotus was labelled as the father of history by cicero, partly for first using history historia to explain his craft. A comparison of herodotus and thucydides essay 611 words. Herodotus and thucydides macedonians are not grecians. Thucydides history of the peloponnesian war is such a study of international relations. Thucydides wrote about the civil war between athens and sparta. For a balanced treatment of the differences between thucydides and herodotus, see hornblower 034 ch. For those readers who are only interested in the events of the war itself, donald kagans the peloponnesian war might be a better choice. Thucydides, the peloponnesian war, book 1, chapter 1. 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. However, thucydides history was never finished, and as such, ends midsentence in the winter of 411 bce. As a general in the peloponnesian war he failed 424 bc to prevent the surrender of the city of amphipolis to the spartan commander brasidas and was exiled until the end of the war.
561 246 194 1459 249 649 1151 617 380 1444 904 637 1055 971 456 1536 964 1089 841 803 215 92 199 324 1553 188 1504 1080 276 1276 314 1266 893 1035 191 199 854 82 720 841 1009 340 1311