Greek Historians

Question 1

What were Herodotus’ sources?

Answer 1

King lists, autopsies, oral tradition (which he adjudicates, providing both cultural points of view and weighing them to provide a ‘balanced’ outlook, uses experiences from his travels to judge the truth of things he has heard (evaluated plausibility), eyewitnesses and inscriptions. Questions his sources, but not enough - uses stories from the Iliad and Odyssey as fact (Lotus Eaters)

Question 2

Why is Herodotus writing?

Answer 2

To commemorate great deeds - Thucydides thinks this is not a good enough reason

Question 3

What are Herodotus’ failings?

Answer 3

Goes on rambling diversions to provide background information that becomes useless tangents. Claims that it is the readers’ responsibility to choose which accounts to believe - he only has to provide the sources - removing accountability

Question 4

What is Herodotus’ audience?

Answer 4

Anticipates his audience will be both Greek and Persian - gives account of Greek history from the perspective of an outsider- things that wouldn’t need elaborating for a native Greek

Question 5

When was Herodotus alive?

Answer 5

c. 484 - c. 425 BCE

Question 6

When was Thucydides alive?

Answer 6

c. 460 - c. 400 BCE

Question 7

Why is Thucydides writing?

Answer 7

Informing the future of the mistakes of the past - his history is “intended as a possession for all time”

Question 8

What are Thucydides’ beliefs?

Answer 8

Convinced that the cause of the Peloponnesian war was the logic of growth and empire - that expansionism is inevitable and leads to war. Cites Pericles, Cleon and Alcibiades who all say the same thing. Also was athiestic, critical of ancient prophecy and oracles. Regarded democracy as flawed, favoured reduced citizenry of 500 who would make the laws. Rule of law - “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must”

Question 9

What is a key feature of Thucydides?

Answer 9

‘Founder of critical history’, hints throughout that others are not critical enough (specifically Herodotus) - “so little pains do the vulgar take in the investigation of truth, accepting readily the first story that comes to hand”

Question 10

What are Thucydides’ failings?

Answer 10

When debating oral tradition, he does not include a comparison, just the one he deems correct - material is therefore condensed by not entirely accurate. Later historians criticised his work for being ‘depressing’ due to the topic of Greeks fighting Greeks - scholars argued that his world is “bleak and grey” where the “gods have been banished”, and that Herodotus is superior because he romanticises and mythologises history

Question 11

What are Thucydides’ sources?

Answer 11

Sources: relies on eyewitnesses, uses documentary sources faithfully (same wording)

Question 12

When was Xenophon alive?

Answer 12

c. 430 - c. 355/354 BC

Question 13

Xenophon’s themes?

Answer 13

Themes: democracy, Persia, Sparta, Socrates

Question 14

What were Xenophon’s sources?

Answer 14

Sources: himself - exiled from Athens due to his association with the oligarchic revolution, later became a mercenary for the Persian king’s brother Cyrus who was defeated when trying to overthrow the king, Xenophon led the surviving Greeks out of Persia. Then became mercenary for Thracian king, then the Spartans, then moved to Corinth

Question 15

What were Xenophon’s failings?

Answer 15

Failings: often regarded as superstitious and simplistic

Question 16

What were Xenophon’s beliefs?

Answer 16

Beliefs: developed hostility to democracy after the death of Socrates and the trial of the generals - talks of the monstrous behaviour of the mob.

Question 17

How did Xenophon combat the Athenocentric nature of 5th century history?

Answer 17

His insight into Spartan and Persian society allowed him to write on them; disillusioned conclusions to works on both empires as he felt they became decadent and failed

Question 18

When was Polybius alive?

Answer 18

c. 200 - c. 118 BC

Question 19

Why did Polybius write on the Romans?

Answer 19

Father Lycortas was strategos of the Achaean League, Polybius was taken along with 1,000 others as detainee by the Roman empire - a guarantee of security and protection from the east

Question 20

What were Polybius’ criticisms of other historians?

Answer 20

Requirements for a historian: personal experience, reading written sources but not relying entirely on them, using witnesses for second-hand experience

Question 21

Why was Polybius writing?

Answer 21

The purpose of history is the practical value, both for the politician and anyone trying to deal with negative changes of fate - knowledge of the past helps in the present (similar to what Thucydides was saying)

Question 22

Who used Polybius as a source?

Answer 22

Livy

Question 23

What were Polybius’ failings?

Answer 23

Polybius argues that people should look at the value of doing things rather than the usefulness - leads him to be cynical