The Cambridge Companion to Herodotus [Hardcover]

Introduction to the life and work of Herodotus, the first historian in the western tradition.At a time when the ancient Greeks' knowledge of the past relied on orally transmitted memories, Herodotus was a pioneering historical practitioner who explored the interplay of myth and history and the role of narrative in history. In this volume a team of experts discusses Herodotus' Histories and their influence. Topics covered include their relationship to Homer, their view of the natural world, their methodology and the Herodotean narrator. Each chapter presents the most up-to-date scholarship on Herodotus and offers a guide to further reading on the subject.At a time when the ancient Greeks' knowledge of the past relied on orally transmitted memories, Herodotus was a pioneering historical practitioner who explored the interplay of myth and history and the role of narrative in history. In this volume a team of experts discusses Herodotus' Histories and their influence. Topics covered include their relationship to Homer, their view of the natural world, their methodology and the Herodotean narrator. Each chapter presents the most up-to-date scholarship on Herodotus and offers a guide to further reading on the subject.Popularly known as the 'Father of History', Herodotus is the first major prose writer in the history of Western literature whose work has survived in full. At a time when the ancient Greeks' knowledge of the past relied on orally transmitted memories, he was a pioneering historical practitioner who explored the interplay of myth and history and the role of narrative in history. Contributors to this volume analyze Herodotus' Histories and their influence. Taking a thematic approach, they explore the Histories and their context, techniques and themes, representation of the Greeks' relationships with foreigners and reception.Introduction Carolyn Dewald and John Marincola; 1. Herodotus and the poetry of the past John Marincola; 2. Herodotus and his prose predecesl£J