Comparison Of Herodotus And The Persian War

1004 Words5 Pages
Fifth Century BCE was a turbulent time throughout the Mediterranean region. The Persian War (499-479 BCE) witnessed a unified Hellenic response to repel foreign invaders while the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE) was distinguished by the polarization of former allies, Athens and Sparta, engaged in war. We know of these events, which transpired nearly 2,500 years ago, mainly because of the works of two men, Herodotus and Thucydides. Herodotus focused his writing on the events of, and surrounding, the Persian War where Thucydides’ major topic of inquiry was on the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides and Herodotus appear to be involved in the same endeavor on the surface, the recording of significant events, but their methodology and the way in which they write history are in contrast.…show more content…
He was just a child when the Persian War ended, so he had to rely on the stories and first-hand account of others when compiling his information. Herodotus was writing and gathering information one generation removed which is not an uncommon practice, especially in modern historiography. He claimed to have travelled all over the region interviewing people and conducting research, but he probably did most of his and writing in or around Athens. The majority of his sources are first-hand narratives of people who were, or claimed to be, at significant events. Herodotus seemed to have collected an incredible amount of stories and sifted through them using his own logic, judgment, and sometime bias, for interpreting and articulating the
Show More
Related

  • Valor In Herodous

    1679 Words  | 7 Pages

    The Battle of Thermopylae from Herodotus Herodotus and His Significance As detailed in the provided primary source, Herodotus is related to the invasion of the Greek mainland by the Persian king Xerxes in 480 B.C. Herodotus was, therefore, a Greek historian born in Halicarnassus within the Persian Empire and a contemporary of Socrates. Herodotus was referred to as one of the Fathers of History who was known to have broken the Homeric traditions. As a discipline, it is essential to consider that the

    Read More

  • Herodotus And Thucydides Similarities

    1721 Words  | 7 Pages

    historical method of Thucydides with EITHER Herodotus OR Polybius. Thucydides and Herodotus are the original fathers of Greek Historiography and are considered the first two historians. Herodotus when compared to Thucydides the other Greek giant of historiography has been considered inferior by comparison. Both Thucydides and Herodotus discuss wars; Herodotus ‘The Histories” covers the Persian War wheresle Thucydides covers the “History of the Peloponnesian War”. This is where the similarities end as

    Read More

  • How Do Greeks Construct Greek And Non-Greek Identity?

    2184 Words  | 9 Pages

    the idea that all Greeks are inherently free and therefore that non-Greeks are slavish and therefore incapable of freedom (Ath. Pol. I. 1252b). Persians depicts the barbarians’ perceived obsession with hierarchal politics throughout, cataloguing the names of fallen commanders (Aes. Persae. L. 29-64, 300-331) and stressing the power and importance of Persian autocracy (L. 169-170, 212-214, 634-636), this contrasting with the apparent equality of the democratic Greeks, none of which are ever named in

    Read More

More about Comparison Of Herodotus And The Persian War

Open Document