Herodotus Flashcards
How does Herodotus combine history and poetry?
History is judged by truth, poetry by pleasure; Herodotus combines these two
What central question is Herodotus trying to answer?
What happens to allow Greek victory (which was unlikely)
How does Herodotus’s blame compare to Homer’s?
Homer blames his heroes, Herodotus blames cities / nations.
What is unique about Herodotus?
It was the first work of history
How does Herodotus make himself the heir of Homer?
He examines the origins and causes of WAR
How is the structure of Herodotus’s piece described?
Like a necklace – with pieces added on
Herodotus is known as the father of which two things?
Lies and History
What lends authenticity to Herodotus’s narrative?
It’s travel writing with subjective experiences
What war does Herodotus focus on?
The Persian Wars (499-449)
How did the Persian war begin?
Rebellion by Ionian greeks due to taxation
What are the four main battles in the Persian war?
Thermopylae, Salmis, Platea, Mycale
What is Herodotus focused on?
The cultural aspects of the cultures he writes about
How does Herodotus’s conflict mimic Homeric conflicts?
It is an East v. West conflict, like the Greek (west) vs. the monsters (east)
How is the structure unique?
It is the first time combining storytelling and geneaology
What is the cradle of philosophy?
Ionia (presocratics)
