c. 460–400 BCAthens
An Athenian general turned historian, whose rigorous account of the Peloponnesian War set a new standard for history based on evidence.
Read the profile“So that human achievements may not be forgotten in time, and great and marvellous deeds may not be without their glory.”
Life
Herodotus was born in Halicarnassus, modern Bodrum in Turkey, a Greek city then under Persian rule. Exiled after a political struggle, he travelled widely, visiting Egypt, the Black Sea, Babylon and much of the Greek world. He spent time in Athens, where he is said to have given public readings, and later settled at the new colony of Thurii in southern Italy.
The Histories
His great work sets out to explain how the conflict between the Greeks and the Persian Empire came about. Along the way he describes the customs, religions and landscapes of the many peoples he encountered, from mummification in Egypt to the burial rites of the Scythians. He weighs different accounts, says when he does not believe a story, and often lets the reader decide.
Father of History, or of lies?
The Roman orator Cicero called him the Father of History, though others accused him of telling tall tales, and some of his stories, such as gold-digging ants in India, are hard to believe. Modern archaeology has confirmed many of his observations, and his curiosity, fairness to the Persians and gift for storytelling make the Histories a delight to read.
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