
- 524 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
Herodotus and the Question Why
About this book
This study of the ancient historian's work is "excellentĀ .Ā .Ā . [A] rigorous and engaging introduction not only to Herodotus, but to many other Greek authors" (
Times Literary Supplement).
In the fifth century BCE, Herodotus wrote the first known Western history to build on the tradition of Homeric storytelling, basing his text on empirical observations and arranging them systematically. Herodotus and the Question Why offers a comprehensive examination of the methods behind the Histories and the challenge of documenting human experiences, from the Persian Wars to cultural traditions.
In lively, accessible prose, Christopher Pelling explores such elements as reconstructing the mentalities of storyteller and audience alike; distinctions between the human and the divine; and the evolving concepts of freedom, democracy, and individualism. Pelling traces the similarities between Herodotus's approach to physical phenomena (Why does the Nile flood?) and to landmark events (Why did Xerxes invade Greece? And why did the Greeks win?), delivering a fascinating look at the explanatory process itself. The cultural forces that shaped Herodotus's thinking left a lasting legacy for us, making Herodotus and the Question Why especially relevant as we try to record and narrate the stories of our time and to fully understand them.
In the fifth century BCE, Herodotus wrote the first known Western history to build on the tradition of Homeric storytelling, basing his text on empirical observations and arranging them systematically. Herodotus and the Question Why offers a comprehensive examination of the methods behind the Histories and the challenge of documenting human experiences, from the Persian Wars to cultural traditions.
In lively, accessible prose, Christopher Pelling explores such elements as reconstructing the mentalities of storyteller and audience alike; distinctions between the human and the divine; and the evolving concepts of freedom, democracy, and individualism. Pelling traces the similarities between Herodotus's approach to physical phenomena (Why does the Nile flood?) and to landmark events (Why did Xerxes invade Greece? And why did the Greeks win?), delivering a fascinating look at the explanatory process itself. The cultural forces that shaped Herodotus's thinking left a lasting legacy for us, making Herodotus and the Question Why especially relevant as we try to record and narrate the stories of our time and to fully understand them.
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access Herodotus and the Question Why by Christopher Pelling in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Teaching History. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Abbreviations
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Why did it all happen?
- Chapter 2: To blame and to explain: Narrative complications
- Chapter 3: How can you possibly know?
- Chapter 4: Adventures in prose
- Chapter 5: Hippocratic affinities
- Chapter 6: Explanations in combination
- Chapter 7: Early moves
- Chapter 8: Empire
- Chapter 9: Herodotusā Persian stories
- Chapter 10: The human and the divine
- Chapter 11: Explaining victory
- Chapter 12: Freedom
- Chapter 13: Democracy
- Chapter 14: Individuals and collectives
- Chapter 15: Then and now: Herodotusā own day
- Chapter 16: Why indeed?
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Passages in Herodotus
- Passages in Other Authors
- General Index