10 facts about herodotus book

One famous example is his commitment to depicting the persians enemy of the greeks in an honest and fair light something which later writer plutarch sniffily derided, branding herodotus friend to the. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. Reading herodotus, one can often get bogged down in the loops of geography, people, history, culture and meandre through miles of esoterica. Herodotus the great greek historian was born about 484 bce, at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. Herodotus has been criticized for the fact that his book includes many obvious legends and fanciful.

The book of nehemiah takes bible readers to the end of the historical account in the old testament, some 400 years before the birth of christ. Dedicatory offerings of croesus are seen by hdt some stolen from croesus halfbrother pantaleon, whom croesus tortured to death 92. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. In the lifetime of herodotus the writing of history, and indeed of prose of any sort, was still something of a novelty. He was probably born to a rich family in halicarnassus, a town in southwest asia minor now bodrum, turkey herodotus was called the father of history by cicero for his writings about the ancient empires of babylon, egypt, and persia, and about the ancient greeks.

The history of herodotus book i the first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may. Herodotus account of the grecopersian wars was the only book he ever wrote. I managed to get through volume one and someday may take on volume two. The herodotus histories was starting to interest me after appearing on the searches, but didnt purchase until researching more what it was about.

The histories, however, is one of those books where an audiobook helps. Asia abounding in men, and vast sums flowing into the treasury, the desire seized him to exact vengeance from the scyths, who had once in days gone by invaded media, defeated those who met them in the field, and so begun the quarrel. The histories is the only work which he is known to have produced, a record of his inquiry on the origins of the grecopersian wars. Herodotus was a fifth century bc greek historian who is best known for his history about the greekpersian wars, the histories. Herodotus was a greek writer and geographer credited with being the first historian. Histories, by herodotus, is an ancient greek text that tells the history of the wars between greece and persia. He was fascinated by the behavior of the nile, as he had never. Nehemiah is the cupbearer to artaxerxes, king of persia. It may also be that he thought that these stories were interesting. Im becomming a little obsessed with history after getting this book. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known around the mediterranean and western asia at that time. Melpomene after the taking of babylon, an expedition was led by darius into scythia.

He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts of the aegean sea and the mainland of greece. Erato aristagoras, the author of the ionian revolt, perished in the way which i have described. Herodotus, greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world, the history of the grecopersian wars. The histories by herodotus, first edition abebooks.

After a short digression on thracian customs, herodotus tells us about megabazus conquest of thrace and the ensuing submission of eastern macedonia. Herodotus was called the father of history by cicero for his writings about the ancient empires of babylon, egypt, and persia, and about the ancient greeks. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. His book about the wars between the persians and the greek city states was a collection of his historiahis inquirieswhich is where we get the very word history from yet he is also known to some as the father of lies. Englishthe histories around 440430 bc, trying to trace the origins of the grecopersian wars, which would still have been relatively recent history. He was born at helicarnassus, asia minor in 484 bc. The history of herodotus by herodotus written 440 b.

He remains the leading source of original information not only for greek history between 550 and 479 bce but also for much of that of western asia and of egypt at that time. Five fascinating facts about herodotus interesting literature. Herodotus covers the empires geography, social structure, and history before describing the events which led to xerxes invasion of greece and the greek citystates uniting to defeat his army. This biography covers the known facts of herodotuss life and clearly explains the various scholarly controversies surrounding. Strange but true facts about lydia and the lydians 93. Hello this is bertie, and in a moment im going to be telling you all about the fascinating animals of ancient egypt as reported on by herodotus two and a half thousand years ago. The histories by herodotus book ii, euterpe knowitall. The audiobook gives you a good pace and forcemarches you through to the end. The histories, which is the oldest history book in western civilization, was completed around 425 b. Top 10 facts about cyrus the great discover walks blog. I also purchased the histories from barnes and noble. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts.

An account of egypt by herodotus pdf, epub, mobi download what others say about this ebook. Asia abounding in men, and vast sums flowing into the treasury, the desire seized him to exact vengeance from the scyths, who had once in days gone by invaded media, defeated. An account of egypt by herodotus pdf, epub, mobi download. Five fascinating facts about herodotus interesting.

His work is the oldest extant piece of narrative history and is believed to have been one of the primary influences of the greek historiographical tradition, which is where the western historiographical tradition is derived. Herodotus claims to have traveled extensively around the ancient world, conducting interviews and collecting stories for his book, almost all of which covers territories of the persian empire. This region, he reports, is a sandy desert, and the sand there contains a wealth of fine gold dust. The history of herodotus, volume 1 by herodotus full text. Herodotus thucydides legacy one of the greatest ancient historians, thucydides c. In book two, herodotus talks about the nile river, which regularly overflows and floods the nile delta and the areas of land on both sides of the river. The rise of the persian empire is chronicled, and the causes for the conflict. Nehemiah is governor of jerusalem from for 14 years, from 444 b. Herodotus, who has been called the father of history,94 was born in 484 bc in halicarnassus, asia minor then under persian overlordship. A good translation of herodotus histories is available, with excellent notes and a helpful introduction. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Herodotus states that the egyptians taught the greeks that learned everything from the egyptians to. Take a look below for 26 more interesting and fun facts about herodotus.

The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. The earliest writings in prose had been the work of a group of. The histories of herodotus is now considered as the founding work of history in western literature. Simultaneously, it tells the story of the growth of the persian empire. He traveled over much of the known ancient world, making trips to places. He was born at halicarnassus, a town in southwest asia minor now bodrum, turkey, probably in 484 bc. So its fitting that, through herodotus book, the english patient reveals his own history. Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. Cyrus the great ruled in at a time before there was julius caesar or alexander the great. Herodotus emerges in all his charm and complexity as a writer and the first historian in the western tradition, perhaps unique in the way he has seen the interrelation of fact and fantasy. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who was born in halicarnassus in the persian empire modernday bodrum, turkey. He told the story from the greek side, although the war was mostly finished when he was still a child. In book 3, passages 102 to 105, herodotus reports that a species of foxsized, furry ants lives in one of the far eastern, indian provinces of the persian empire.

Reading herodotus in english has never been so much fun. During his life, herodotus probably told his stories in front of large numbers of people in greek cities. In book one of the histories, when herodotus describes the physical and political. Cyrus fulfilled the prophecy dooming the descendants of gyges, and himself misinterpreted the oracle 91. Herodotus crowds his frescolike pages with all shades of humanity. I also purchased the histories from barnes and noble with translation by g. Herodotus histories full audiobook book 1 of 3 youtube. Top 10 facts about cyrus the great cyrus ii of persia, commonly known as cyrus the great, and as cyrus the elder to the greeks, was the founder of the achaemenid empire, the first persian empire. Herodotus was called the father of history by cicero. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Hes often referred to as the father of history, a title first conferred by cicero. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. In the rest of book i and the three following books the basic theme is the expansion of the persian kingdom from the accession of cyrus to about 500 b.