Herodotus is the greatest Greek historian of antiquity. Lived in the 5th century BC. e. Born approximately 484 BC. e. He also died approximately in 425 BC. e. He was a contemporary of Socrates. Marcus Tullius Cicero called Herodotus "the father of history." This man was the first to break Homeric traditions and began to consider historical events as a research method with the appropriate collection of information and its systematization. Thus, he managed to create historiographical narratives, united in the historical treatise “History”.
The treatise is a real wealth of ethnographic and geographical information. Some stories are fantastic, others are inaccurate, but the author himself claimed that he scrupulously conveyed only what he was told about and what he saw with his own eyes. The historical significance of the works of the “father of history” is enormous. However, little is known about the personal life of the author himself.
Biography of Herodotus
Scarce biographical data is known from the stories of Herodotus himself and from the encyclopedic dictionary “Judgment”, which was compiled in Byzantium in the 10th century. The compiler of the dictionary is unknown, and the biographical information contained in it of famous people who lived in ancient times is extremely brief. Therefore, one can only guess about many aspects of the life of the great ancient historian.
Herodotus's birthplace was the city of Halicarnassus, a Greek colony on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor. At that time it was under the rule of the Persian kingdom. The parents of the future great historian were influential people. The father is Lix, and the mother is Lovelia. There was also a brother, Theodore. And the boy’s uncle was Paniasides, an epic poet who created the epic about Hercules.
The family was involved in a rebellion against the tyrant Lygdamidas. It was defeated and the family was exiled to the island of Samos in the Aegean Sea. Young Herodotus went with his family and lived on the island for several years. Then he began to travel to nearby lands and countries. It is assumed that his father had many contacts in the Greek colonies, which made travel easier. In addition, the young man was apparently given money and involved in Greek trade with Egypt.
Our hero traveled to Egypt approximately in 454 BC. e. After this, he went to the Phoenician city of Tire, and from there down the Euphrates to Babylon. For reasons related to local politics, he became unpopular in Halicarnassus and migrated to Athens around 447 BC. e. There, at that time, the military leader Pericles enjoyed enormous popularity. He actively developed democratic institutions, which delighted Herodotus.
Much of the famous "History" of the ball was written in Athens. And for this work the historian received a substantial financial reward by decision of the Athenian assembly. He tried to obtain Athenian citizenship, which became almost impossible after 451 BC. e. The city was getting rich and prosperous, and therefore there were many people who wanted it, but they were turned down. Herodotus was also refused, although everyone recognized him as an outstanding person.
In 443 BC. e. the historian migrated to the south of Italy, where, on the initiative of Athens, the Greeks began to build the city of Thurii on the ruins of the city of Sybaris. This is all that is more or less known about the fate of an outstanding man of antiquity. But one can only guess about the next years of life. It is possible that Herodotus returned to Athens and died there during an outbreak of plague. There is an assumption that he died in Macedonia, where he received patronage. And it is possible that he died directly in Furia. There is no data after 440 BC. e. It is only known that the historian left this world before reaching the age of 60.
Reliability of Herodotus' works
The work “History” was very often criticized in ancient times. Aristotle, Cicero, Josephus, Duris, Harpokration, and Plutarch had mixed opinions about him. However, modern historians and philosophers have a positive opinion about it and consider it reliable. Dozens of learned minds refer to Herodotus’ “History” when describing the Greek world, the Persian Empire, and the Greco-Persian wars.
Some experts quote the ancient historian throughout their works. He is considered an extremely meticulous researcher for his time. He always made a distinction between what he saw and what he was told. It should be said that Strabo confirmed much of the information given by Herodotus.
The only thing that is definitely in doubt is his descriptions of Egypt. It is alleged that the historian worked with sources that were not credible. Some experts doubt that our hero even traveled along the Nile. Therefore, it is doubtful that he wrote the truth about Egypt and Ethiopia. You should also know that the great historian of antiquity did not know a single language other than Greek. And therefore he always relied on translators, whose translation in most cases left much to be desired.
Herodotus wrote a lot about the nature and state of science, although his statements are full of inaccuracies. For example, he wrote that the Nile floods are associated with the melting of snow far to the south. At the same time, he admitted that he could not understand where there could be snow in Africa, and assumed that the desert winds, which influence the passage of the Sun through the African part of the world, were to blame.
An ancient historian, describing the sandy deserts of Persia, reported that the sand contained a large amount of gold dust. Giant ants live there, digging underground tunnels and making high embankments. And people living in these places collect gold dust, melt it and get gold bars. The meticulous historian received this information from the Iranians, but it can be assumed that the translation was inaccurate. But apparently this information sounded plausible, since Pliny the Elder subsequently mentioned this method of gold mining in one of the sections of Natural History.
As for ants digging tunnels underground, Herodotus most likely mistranslated the word “ant.” The narrators meant marmots or tarbagans, but the translator mixed everything up and called it a small insect. The historian’s imagination gave it enormous proportions. But we must give credit to the author of the History. He never claimed to have personally seen giant ants and gold dust in the sand.
Herodotus gave many accurate descriptions in his works, at the same time, there are also plenty of mythological elements in his stories. Therefore, he cannot be characterized as a pure historian. He was rather a man trying to draw the correct conclusions from their myths, legends and true historical events. In many ways, he succeeded, which is why his name has survived to this day.
Herodotus's brief biography of the first geographer and traveler is presented in this article.
Herodotus short biography and his discoveries
Herodotus was born around 484 BC. in the small town of Halicarnassus on the Mediterranean coast (now the Turkish resort town of Bodrum).
Since childhood, he had been watching ships in the harbor, looking at sailors, traders from distant countries, strangely dressed and speaking in incomprehensible languages. This made me want to go sailing myself.
Almost no information about his youth has been preserved; he wrote nothing about himself. It is known that his uncle Paniasid was considered an outstanding epic poet. Apparently, he inherited an interest in literature and history from his uncle. But Herodotus did not live long in his hometown. The population rebelled against the tyrant Lygdamidas who ruled there, and Herodotus belonged to the party that fought against Lygdamidas. Paniasid fought against him and died. Herodotus himself was expelled and went first to the island of Samos. And from there he began his long, exciting journey.
Almost Herodotus sailed the seas for 10 years, traveled, listened to different people and made notes. He traveled to Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, Asia Minor, the Hellespont, the Northern Black Sea region, and the Balkan Peninsula from the Peloponnese to Macedonia and Thrace.
Around 445 BC, he arrived in Athens and there for the first time began to read excerpts from his creation. He was listened to in different places and praised in every possible way. Moreover, for these readings he received a considerable monetary reward. A year later, together with the philosopher Protagoras and the architect Hippodamus of Miletus, he took part in the creation of the pan-Hellenic colony of Thurii, for which he also received the nickname Thurii. Obviously, in Fury he began to complete the History. At the beginning of his work, he explains the reasons that prompted him to take up the pen: Herodotus of Halicarnassus sets out these investigations, so that over time events between people will not be destroyed. neither the great and wondrous deeds accomplished by the Greeks and barbarians remained inglorious.”
Compositionally, the work is divided into two parts. In the first, Herodotus sets out the history of Lydia, the oldest country on the Asia Minor peninsula, which was invaded by the Persian king Cyrus the Great. In the same part, he talks about Egypt, the customs and morals of this country, talks about the history of Persia, and provides various ethnographic and geographical information. The second part, which is considered the main one, reflects the history and events of the Greco-Persian wars. The story ends with the capture of Sest by the Hellenes in 479 BC. e.
In his History, later divided into 9 books and named after 9 muses, Herodotus also cited facts from the lives of great people, spoke about the strange customs of the barbarians, gave an idea of great and amazing structures, and noted unusual natural phenomena.
During the Renaissance, the History was translated into Latin by Lorenzo Valla. The book was published in Venice in 1479, and from that moment it began to spread among scientists and politicians in European countries. The history of Herodotus has been included in the libraries of almost all higher educational institutions around the world.
Died in 425 BC. e.
Dictionary-reference book on Ancient Greece and Rome, on mythology
HERODOTUS- (c. 484 – 425 BC) Greek historian, “father of history.” From Halicarnassus he moved to Samos, and then to Athens; traveled extensively in Egypt, Eastern Europe and Asia. Died in Thurii (Southern Italy). Describing the war in his nine-volume “History”... ... List of Ancient Greek names
Herodotus- Herodotus (c. 425 BC) ancient Greek historian. Born in the city of Halicarnassus (). After the establishment of tyranny in the city, Herodotus left it. He traveled a lot: he visited Asia Minor, Babylon, Phenicia, Egypt, various cities of the Balkan... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History
Herodotus- (Herodotus, Ηρόδοτος). Father of History, b. in Halicarnassus in 484 BC. To collect materials for his history, he traveled to Greece and other countries, and therefore his writings contain many personal observations, often... ... Encyclopedia of Mythology
Herodotus- Herodotus, Herodotos, 485 ca. 425 BC e., Greek historian. Born in Halicarnassus, a Greek city in Caria, founded by the Dorians, which in the middle of the 5th century. BC e. was subject to strong Ionian influence. A close relative of G. was a poet... ... Ancient writers
HERODOTUS- (between 490 and 480 around 425 BC), ancient Greek historian, father of history. Author of essays on the Greco-Persian wars, the history of the Achaemenid state, Egypt, etc.; gave the first description of the life and everyday life of the Scythians... Modern encyclopedia
HERODOTUS- (between 490 and 480 c. 425 BC) ancient Greek historian, nicknamed the father of history. Author of works devoted to the description of the Greco-Persian wars outlining the history of the Achaemenid state, Egypt, etc.; gave the first systematic description... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Herodotus- (Herodotus) (c. 490/480 c. 430/420 BC), other Greek. historian, father of history. G. owns a detailed narrative in 9 books about the Greco-Persian wars. In fact, the chronological scope of his work is wider, it also includes... ... The World History
Herodotus- (between 490 and 480 around 425 BC), ancient Greek historian, “father of history.” Author of essays on the Greco-Persian wars, the history of the Achaemenid state, Egypt, etc.; gave the first description of the life and everyday life of the Scythians. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Herodotus- (between 490 and 480 around 425 BC), ancient Greek historian, nicknamed the father of history. Author of works devoted to the description of the Greco-Persian wars outlining the history of the Achaemenid state, Egypt, etc.; gave the first systematic description... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- Herodotus (1972 ed.), Herodotus. This publication opens a new academic series, which will present works that played a significant role in the development of historical thought. Translation of the History of Herodotus was...
Historical reference
Herodotus was born not exactly in Ancient Greece, but in its colonial city - Halicarnassus. Today this site is the site of the Turkish resort town of Bodrum. The exact date of birth is unknown, but historians place it at 484 BC. e. Herodotus was lucky with an excellent education, which was received thanks to the wealth of his parents. Initially, he had a desire to understand the world, and not to limit himself to the myths that logographers liked to turn to. By and large, it was thanks to them that such a science as history was born.
Having reached the age of twenty, Herodotus decided to go on a journey to explore the territories that were at that time accessible to humans. At that time there was no single idea about the shape of the Earth as a sphere. The Pythagorean school, which was, in fact, the initiator of this hypothesis, was only gaining popularity. Just guessing what the earth really was like, Herodotus decided not to philosophize, but to find out in practice.
He began with the Egyptian territories already known in Greece. Herodotus collected the information he saw about the life of the people, their customs, the floods of the Nile, and recorded data about the pyramids. These records will become the beginning of a historical chronicle (which is why Herodotus was subsequently given the “title” of the father of history). Having passed Egypt, he descended further south, but, remaining confident in the proximity of the ocean, thanks to which he could return back - clockwise through Gibraltar to Alexandria, Herodotus went back to Saudi Arabia.
Probably, the excessive religiosity of the inhabitants inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula forced them to quickly leave these lands and continue their journey first to Babylon, Persia, and then to India, distant at that time. Having reached the end of the world, which ended right here, Herodotus described in detail the morals and customs of the inhabitants of this country. He recognized India's equality and its possible future power in the world.
Significance for modern times
To correctly understand Herodotus’s assessment of the boundaries of the world, it is worth recalling the worldview of those years. Today a myth is a fiction, a fairy tale, then it is an event of reality. Any of his heroes, first ancestors, had a continuation of their kind, however, already in the usual human form. Meeting a descendant of, say, Hercules on the streets of Athens was reality and commonplace, and not a distorted fantasy. If the world had a beginning, then there was an end. And the search for something “transcendental” was hardly of interest to Herodotus the materialist.
In any case, instead of going “beyond the horizon” of India, he went to the south of modern Russia, to Scythia. He compiled descriptions and maps of the Black, Caspian and Azov seas and the rivers flowing into them. Herodotus collected interesting information about the life of the Scythians and their customs. The legendary Amazons, a mythical tribe of warring women, were confirmed in the works of Herodotus, where marriages of Amazons with the leaders of the Scythian tribes were mentioned. The myth and reality of what he saw remains a mystery, as does the very existence of the female ethnic group.
Having returned home safely, Herodotus made a good political career, and then retired to the territory of modern Italy, to the colony of Turium, where he died in 426 BC.
What is noteworthy about Herodotus’s campaign, in addition to collecting information about lands and science, is his task. Unlike all the journeys of that time, which were military and pursued an exclusively aggressive goal, Herodotus traveled through new lands with an educational purpose. There were also merchants with their, to use modern slang, shopping tours, but still these were practical trips. Herodotus is the initiator of tourism as such, and today the lands he saw - Egypt, India, Turkey and southern Russia - are among the most popular tourist destinations.
Conclusion
Herodotus undoubtedly laid the foundation for travel. But what’s especially nice is that they haven’t become the exclusive domain of men. Moreover, women even surpassed even science fiction writers in some ways. In Jules Verne, the fearless Phileas Fogg (again for the sake of a woman!) circled the earth in 80 days. American Nellie Bye did it in 1889 in 72 days.
During school years, everyone studied compulsory program disciplines, including history and geography. And, of course, everyone has heard about the ancient Greek traveler Herodotus, whom those who like to distribute clichés included in the “fathers of history” on the grounds that the scientist wrote a voluminous work with the same name. Let's try to understand the validity of this statement, and at the same time find out what Herodotus discovered in geography.
Curriculum Vitae
A progressive man of his time, a historian and geographer, the first traveler - that’s who the legendary Herodotus was. His biography contains some gaps due to the significant remoteness of the events, but the basic information is available. Herodotus was born in the Dorian colony of Greece, ancient Halicarnassus (the modern city of Bodrum). The most probable date of birth of the scientist is considered to be 484 BC. e.
The family in which the boy was raised was very wealthy and famous, with numerous connections. This fact allowed young Herodotus to receive an excellent education for those times. Mother Rio and father Lix raised another son, Theodore. His relative Paniasis, who was a famous poet, had a strong influence on the boy’s worldview and tastes.
Scientific nugget of antiquity
If it were not for the two Persian wars, between which Herodotus was born, the biography and fate of the young man would have turned out differently. One day he decided to compile a detailed chronicle of the Greco-Persian wars, and at the same time describe the morals, customs, and geographical details of the areas that he decided to visit. The scientist’s travels were driven by curiosity that arose after studying myths, the knowledge of which he gleaned from logogriffs. In addition, he wanted to see with his own eyes what the lands that were visible in that era looked like.
The first who decided to compile a detailed work describing the main aspects of the origin and course of the wars between the Persians and Greeks was Herodotus. He made a contribution to the development of geography along the way: in order to get a reliable idea of everything, it was necessary to visit many countries. This was fully reflected in the famous work of Herodotus (“Histories”), which consists of 9 books with the names of muses instead of titles.
Persian notes
A significant part of his work is devoted to describing countries, customs, landscapes, weather patterns, political and religious structures. Herodotus undertook a voyage at the age of twenty across the states and also Persia. It was possible to travel along the roads of these countries without fear, since they were well guarded, and the traveler was provided with the necessary places to rest. Without needing funds, the scientist probably traveled quite pleasantly without experiencing any discomfort. Herodotus' achievements in geography are based on his detailed descriptions of the terrain and customs he encountered along the way. This is the only scientist, using whose works, contemporaries can get an idea of the ancient world order and genuine geographical knowledge.
He traveled along the road from Ephesus to Susa, saw the great Babylon in its heyday with its majestic buildings, huge libraries, gardens and fanatical cults, was in Ektaban, the capital. Herodotus was probably present in the destroyed Assyria. All this is carefully recorded in the book that Herodotus planned and created. The contribution to the development of geography of the Halicarnassian scientist is obvious and is not in doubt.
He interestingly describes the morals of the Persians: they did not erect temples to the gods and did not give the deities human form, they preferred fruit and wine to meat, they sacredly respected the right to life and at the same time despised those with leprosy, considering them cursed. The Persians valued military valor above all else.
The scientist learned a lot by visiting these regions. But this is only part of what Herodotus discovered in geography.
Herodotus and the land of the pyramids
But the Halicarnassian lived longest in Egypt. He collected detailed information about the climate features of this African region: Nile floods, droughts. He described living creatures unseen in his homeland: crocodiles, birds, hippopotamuses. He studied the current wonders of the world: the pyramids and the Sphinx, learned basic information about Ancient Egypt from the priests, and even personally measured the Pyramid of Cheops. Herodotus was in the city of the kings, saw Lake Merida, near which in those years there was a labyrinth containing up to 3 thousand rooms. This building especially struck the scientist, which, of course, was reflected in his geographical and historical work. Thus, everything that Herodotus discovered in Egypt became world property.
After Egypt he visited Libya. There he studied the life of desert inhabitants. Later, confident that he would rise by sea to Alexandria, the scientist went down to Saudi Arabia, but, probably, having received an inhospitable reception from the overly religious inhabitants of this country, he was forced to return.
Travel to Scythia
Sailing along the Black Sea, the scientist listed many rivers along with the tributaries flowing into it, visited the Greek colonies located on the banks of the Pontus Euxine, but this is not the only thing that Herodotus discovered in geography. Among other things, the “father of history” made a long-term journey to the lands of Scythia (the southern tip of Ukraine). This area amazed the geographer: long winters and rainy summers, ice, which Herodotus had no idea about, vast steppes and pastures. Herodotus heard many myths from the Scythians, in particular about the gold of the one-eyed people living to the north. He also realized that there are powerful, deep rivers that do not necessarily originate in the mountains, as he had been taught since childhood. I learned about the tribes that live nearby: Ural hunters and Agripei. In all likelihood, he was told about the inhabitants of the Urals and the Urals, and at the same time Herodotus learned about the nature of those places: forests full of fur-bearing animals, mountains, beautiful and inaccessible. The Halicarnassian also heard that far in the north there is eternal cold and desolation, and winter lasts six months. It was in Scythia that Herodotus learned these invaluable geographical ideas and subsequently shared them with the whole world.
Herodotus visited Colchis (modern Georgia), the Balkans, including Southern Italy, and reached the end of the world, which, according to the ancient Greeks, was located in India. The historian was shocked by the wealth and customs of this region. He described the rituals and habits of the Hindus, strange, in his opinion, plants and cereals (bamboo, rice), trees with fruits in the form of woolen balls, and huge deposits of gold. Therefore, the first association that should arise after pronouncing the name Herodotus is geography. Briefly touching on his wanderings, we can draw conclusions about the significance of his works.
Geographic footprint
Considering that in ancient times travel was made either for aggressive or commercial purposes, we can say that Herodotus first founded What Herodotus discovered in geography:
- for the first time described in detail the real picture of the world of those times;
- compiled maps of the basins of the Azov, Caspian and Black Seas;
- collected information about the life of the Sarmatians and Scythians, which subsequently helped in excavations;
- discovered a mythical female ethnic group: the Amazons;
- the first geographer who described the terrain and features of the rivers of Ancient Egypt;
- explored the Balkan Peninsula;
- outlined the boundaries of the ecumene (known territory) and identified three climatic zones: the northern (Scythia), the second, located in the Mediterranean, and the third - part of North Africa and Arabia;
- described signs, rituals, myths, and history of many peoples.
In ancient times there was confidence that the world was finite, so Herodotus, being a materialist, did not try to look “beyond the edge”, but explored the lands where he could reach.
After a stormy life, his sleep is sweet
Herodotus's life was full of adventures, including some not very pleasant ones. For political reasons, his family was forced to leave their home and settle on the island of Samos. After 10 years of travel, he found peace in Thurii, which was founded by the descendants of the Sybarites. Conflicting information speaks about the date of death of this outstanding man, but most agree on 424 BC. e. A friend of Sophocles, a favorite of the kings, an outstanding historian and geographer, was buried in the city square in Thurii, which was a great honor. The inscription on the grave briefly lists his merits and touches on some details of his biography. In addition, cenotaphs of Herodotus are found in Macedonian Pella and great Athens.
Final thoughts
Herodotus is not just a museum exhibit or a long-gone man from the pages of textbooks. What Herodotus discovered, what he achieved in the field of history and geography, in which he was a pioneer, gives him the right not to be forgotten. The only ancient scientist who created not a description of one part of the world, but recreated the whole from fragments. Therefore, his “History” is not only a huge contribution to geography as a science, but is also destined to be famous.