The Histories of Herodutus

As the first systematic source of Western civilization, TH presents a systematic account of the preeminent forms of social organization in the Ionian area of the Mediterranean. However, from the very first, Herodotus engages in a project of comparative history, explaining that his research will cover "the astonishing achievements both of our own and of other peoples" (Herodotus, 1982, p. I.41). Why that is significant is that Herodotus deliberately looks outward, away from Greece, when going on the record about the internal experience of the Greeks. That implies that he seeks a comprehensive rather than partial understanding of Greek experience, by positioning his home civilization not merely as a self-sustaining entity but in relation to entities that are "other." That owes something to the fact that The Histories is in significant part an account of the protracted war between the Greeks and the Persians; however, war is not the only occasion for comparative study,

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s the Greeks and the Persians were. Meanwhile, two very different ideas of Greek culture were being developed in Athens and Sparta. Sparta, a monarchy, allied with Croesus, and the Ionians, who allied with Cyrus. The Athenians were Ionians who carved out a more specific identity for themselves; Athens "took a dislike to the very name 'Ionian' and refused to admit to it" (Herodotus, 1982, p. I.100). The other Ionians developed distinctive dialects and customs, as did the other Greek peoples. Herodotus describes the Ionians in general as having "the least power and influence." One commentator describes this characterization as "an example of Herodotus' curious prejudice against the Ionians of Asia" (Burn, 1982, p. 100). Another possible interpretation of the Book I statement is that it prefigures the dramatic shift in the ratio of power and influence that Athens was to achieve as Greek history and Greek identity emerged more fully. That is backed up by the fact that Herodotus shows Sparta to be the leading Greek city before the Persian Wars. It is Sparta to which the Asian Ionians appealed when threatened by Croesus (Sparta refused). However, even though Xerxes actually entered Athens, it was Athens that developed a strong naval pr
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Burn Herodotus, Minor Barbarians, Marathon Salamis, Athens Sparta, Cicero Jones, Greeks Persians, Histories Herodotus, Mediterranean Herodotus, Syracusans Athenians--the, Artemesium Athenians, herodotus 1982, athens sparta, hamilton 1958, greek peoples, greeks persians, ancient world, jones 1996, persian wars, herodotus describes, peoples herodotus, enmity east west, hamilton 1958 98, army herodotus 1982,
Approximate Word count = 3143
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page)