classical greek historians - emily. classical greek historians “history” < historiai...

Classical Greek Historians

- Emily

Classical Greek Historians

“History” < historiai ‘inquiries, research’

Herodotus & Thucydides

Founders of Western historical writing

• Systematic investigations of the past

• More rationalistic

• Topics like war, politics, peoples, customs

Herodotus (ca. 485-425BC)

The Histories

• Persian War (470-479BC)

• “The cyclical rise and fall

of empires”

“Father of history”

(or the “father of lies”)

Herodotus (ca. 485-425BC)

Research

• Public records

• Interviews

Interesting stories

Own interpretations & commentary

Thucydides (ca. 455-397BC)

The History of the Peloponnesian War

• Human nature/psychology

• “Disastrous effects of war”

Thucydides (ca. 455-397BC)

Strict factual accuracy

• Searching for and (carefully) checking

sources

• Rejecting implausible explanations

• Own observations (& understanding)

Sources

King Ch 4: “History”. pg. 75-77

TCE Ch 3: “Historical Thought and Writing”.

pg. 100

Damen, Mark. “SECTION 2: Herodotus and

the Persian Wars”.

<http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/1320hist&

civ/chapters/02herod.htm>

from Kate Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant <http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=30>

Rationalism

The theory that the exercise of reason, rather than the acceptance of empiricism, authority, or spiritual revelation, provides the only valid basis for action or belief and that reason is the prime source of knowledge and of spiritual truth.

Quiz #1

Write down the names of all the cultures/civilizations that we've covered so far (as many as you can remember).

Then for each, write down two -specific- influences they've had on other (and/or later) cultures / the more modern "West".

Quiz #1Not very good answer:Archaic/Classical Greek politics and architecture

Much better answer:The idea the Greeks had that it was a citizen's duty to be

involved in politics is still present in modern America, where there is a somewhat similar (though maybe less strong) concept of the importance of political activism.

Greek styles of architecture, for example, the Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian columns around the front of buildings, are still used today, especially for buildings that are associated with things like politics, law, philosophy, etc. that are considered legacies of Ancient Greece.