Herodotus says that culture is king, and that each culture thinks their customs are the best. The histories also stands as one of the earliest accounts of the rise of the persian empire, as well as the events and causes of the grecopersian wars between the achaemenid empire and the greek citystates in the 5th century bc. He was intrigued with the differences between greek and egyptian priests, the differences in climates and cultures and with the deep and rich history of. You can learn something of the egyptian culture including their.
Besides these concentrated chapters on persian nomoi, herodotus also treats persian customs in other parts of his work. And its actually on topic because its an exploration of. History historie, inquiry in its broadest context here includes anthropology, natural history and virtually any piece of antiquarian information that appealed to. Histories book 2 the history of egypt summary course hero. In some of these he misrepresents and exaggerates the actual condition of society.
Unlike book 1, book 2 s recollections of kings were less specific and more sparse but he does include descriptions of animals and their role in egyptian society which i found interesting and new. The explanation is that the ancient greeks believed that the barbarians on the edges of the earth were the opposite of the civilized people in the middle of the terrestrial disk. 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. The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians with those of the greeks, with the persians. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. As a result of their living there, the ethiopians have learned egyptian customs and become less wild 2. C icero called herodotus the father of history, but he is not a historians historian in the sense that thucydides is. Throughout the entire course, i learn more about different cultures such as. In the next logos, herodotus tells us about the customs of the egyptians. His observation of the nile valley as an alluvium is scientific triumph. In book 2 herodotus takes us on a travel tour of egypt. The level of trustworthy detail improves as the account gets closer to the time in which herodotus lived. Herodotus description of egypt dominates book ii of the histories. This may seem like a diversion from his topic of the great wars between the greeks and the persians, but its a pleasant diversion.
Written in 440 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 in western asia, northern. Unlike book 1, book 2s recollections of kings were less specific and more sparse but he does include descriptions of animals and their role in egyptian society which i found interesting and new. Herodotus and the empires of the eastcustoms, religion, and. Each culture has its own customs, arts, ideas and beliefs. The ethiopians culture was also changed by the settlement of egyptian soldiers in the area. This point is to some degree supported later, where herodotus notes that the persians hold a. The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians with those of the greeks, with the. Dec 11, 2002 the writings of herodotus concerning ancient egypt contain a great deal of information about the particulars of egyptian society, geography, and religion.
This comes, i think, from their not believing the gods to have the same nature with men, as the greeks imagine. In that city is perseus the son of danaes square shrine and round it palms are grown. Ancient egyptian culture and its influence on poetry 123. Herodotus is keen to stress that amasis was a friend to the greeks because he wants to show the persian upheaval that will follow as more than just the conquest of one kingdom. Jan 18, 2012 herodotus 484425 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. Egypt was a massive part of the economy and culture of the eastern mediterranean. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Herodotus 484425 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. Herodotuss account of egyptian history is thorough, and probably rests on egyptian records and stories about their rulers. Thus, they would likely never have publicly admitted to borrowing elements of foreign culture. Egypt chapter1, mesopotamian chapter1, greece chapter 2, rome chapter4.
Herodotus made a trek to the egypt of his day 400s b. In this, the first prose history in european civilization, herodotus describes the growth of the persian empire with force, authority, and style. Cambyses becomes king of the persian empire 530522 bc. The present selection includes 3599 of the traditionally numbered 182 sections that make up. He discusses customs to show the variety of the human experience and existence. Now, all the other egyptians are thus on guard against that, but there is chemmis, a large city in the theban district near neapolis. Acquainted as they are beyond all other men with the laws and customs of the persians, they cannot but be well aware, first, that it is not the persian wont to allow a bastard to reign when there is a legitimate heir. Here herodotus shows himself an unbiased and critical observer.
Estimates of the year of his birth are based on the observation that in the histories, he does not claim to have witnessed the persian invasion that took place in 480. Herodotus description tells a lot more about ancient greece than about the egyptians. In book one of the histories, when herodotus describes the physical and political atmosphere in persia, he greatly exaggerates how massively fortified the city of babylon is. Perhaps most famously, the book tells the heroic tale of the greeks resistance to the vast invading force a. Of course it is true that such calculations fail to distinguish between the ptolemaic and roman periods.
Of his life we know almost nothing, except that he spent much of it traveling, to collect the material for his writings, and that he finally settled down at thurii, in southern italy, where his great work was composed. He goes into a great deal of specificity and his descriptions are so accurately detailed, he fluidly transitions through describing many aspects of egyptian culture. In egyptian, the goat and pan are both called mendes. He is trying to be an objective observer, reporting on how the details of different customs in each culture, without opinion. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 2.
The following is comprised of excerpts from his book. From an egyptian inscription, preserved in the vatican, we learn that cambyses, after the conquest of egypt, performed those religious duties which devolved upon him as the successor of the pharaohs. According to herodotus, the city of babylon had magnificence greater than all other cities of which we have knowledge. The numbers in the text are the chapters from which the quotes are taken. The histories, by ancient greek historian, herodotus, is full of myths, folklore, legends, historical facts and tall tales. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet. While in the northern, delta region of the country, herodotus spent his time with the egyptian priests, who told the greek of their history, culture, and science. He was intrigued with the differences between greek and egyptian priests, the differences in climates and cultures and with the deep and rich history of the region. Herodotus on the egyptians ancient history encyclopedia. According to herodotus, a persian army invading ethiopia met its doom starving in the barren desert, the hardy ethiopians remaining free. Even though his broader theme is the history of the persian wars, book ii includes a vast range of subjects, from geology and meteorology to commerce, family life, and medicine.
In fact, herodotus reports that the egyptians maintain their own culture and adopt no foreign customs 2. Herodotus and hellenistic culture 203 his own country. Jan 18, 2012 the egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite to other men in almost all matters. Cassandane had died in the lifetime of cyrus, who had made a great mourning for her at her death, and had commanded all the subjects of his empire to observe the like. Herodotus portrays the conflict as one between the forces of slavery the persians on the one hand, and freedom. The pig is regarded among them as an unclean animal, so much so that if a man in passing accidentally touch a pig, he instantly hurries to the river, and plunges in with all his clothes on. Queen tomyris warns cyrus as does croesus, but he ignores them and is slain 529 book 2.
He claims that 100 bronze gates were erected at the entrance of babylon, and that babylons. Also, some of herodotus stories have a definite kinship with tragic plotlines. While this assertion is not accurate, it is also not difficult to imagine an ancient egyptian making such a. Greek customs they flee from using and, to speak of everything together, even any other human beings customs. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. 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. Thucydides, the younger man by about 15 years, produced a. Jan 02, 2009 c icero called herodotus the father of history, but he is not a historians historian in the sense that thucydides is. Babylonian customs compulsory sex at the temple of aphrodite cyrus attacks the massagetae on the asian steppes w of the caspian. The writings of herodotus concerning ancient egypt contain a great deal of information about the particulars of egyptian society, geography, and religion. Herodotus was born at halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor, in the early part of the fifth century, b. The customs which i know the persians to observe are the following.
Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. Herodotus in nubia is a valuable addition to herodotean studies, providing students of herodotus with a reliable guide to relevant current scholarship on ancient nubia and containing numerous perceptive comments on various aspects of herodotus account of aithiopia, particularly his discussion of aithiopian kingship. Cambyses, by the advice of a certain egyptian, who was angry with amasis for having torn him from his wife. Herodotus records important factual information about his observations on egypt, cairo, and the egyptian way of life. Herodotus account of egyptian history and customs, contained in book ii of his long narrative history of the persian wars, is a classic example of the father of history at work. Book ii classic commentaries bristol classical press. The egyptians in agreement with their climate, which is unlike any other, and with the river, which shows a nature different from all other rivers, established for themselves manners and customs in a way opposite to other men in almost all matters. Thucydides, the younger man by about 15 years, produced a forthright account. The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians. Prostitution in the service of this goddess, as herodotus declares i. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 4. Dec 27, 2018 the several egyptian documents, however, make the account of herodotus exceedingly improbable.
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