480 Bc 420 Bc Herodotus Popular Books

480 Bc 420 Bc Herodotus Biography & Facts

The Histories (Greek: Ἱστορίαι, Historíai; also known as The History) of Herodotus is considered the founding work of history in Western literature. Although not a fully impartial record, it remains one of the West's most important sources regarding these affairs. Moreover, it established the genre and study of history in the Western world (despite the existence of historical records and chronicles beforehand). The Histories also stands as one of the earliest accounts of the rise of the Persian Empire, as well as the events and causes of the Greco-Persian Wars between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states in the 5th century BC. Herodotus portrays the conflict as one between the forces of slavery (the Persians) on the one hand, and freedom (the Athenians and the confederacy of Greek city-states which united against the invaders) on the other. The Histories was at some point divided into the nine books that appear in modern editions, conventionally named after the nine Muses. Motivation for writing Herodotus claims to have traveled extensively around the ancient world, conducting interviews and collecting stories for his book, almost all of which covers territories of the Persian Empire. At the beginning of The Histories, Herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it: Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by Herodotus of Halicarnassus. The purpose is to prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time, and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable achievements produced by both Greeks and non-Greeks; among the matters covered is, in particular, the cause of the hostilities between Greeks and non-Greeks. Summary Book I (Clio) The abductions of Io, Europa, and Medea, which motivated Paris to abduct Helen. The subsequent Trojan War is marked as a precursor to later conflicts between peoples of Asia and Europe. (1.1–5) Colchis, Colchians and Medea. (1.2.2–1.2.3) The rulers of Lydia (on the west coast of Asia Minor, today modern Turkey): Candaules, Gyges, Ardys, Sadyattes, Alyattes, Croesus (1.6–7) How Candaules made his bodyguard, Gyges, view the naked body of his wife. Upon discovery, she ordered Gyges to murder Candaules or face death himself How Gyges took the kingdom from Candaules (1.8–13) The singer Arion's ride on the dolphin (1.23–24) Solon's answer to Croesus's question that Tellus was the happiest person in the world (1.29–33) Croesus's efforts to protect his son Atys, his son's accidental death by Adrastus (1.34–44) Croesus's test of the oracles (1.46–54) The answer from the Oracle of Delphi concerning whether Croesus should attack the Persians (famous for its ambiguity): If you attack, a great empire will fall. Peisistratos' rises and falls from power as tyrant of Athens (1.59–64) The rise of Sparta (1.65–68) A description the geographic location of several Anatolian tribes, including the Cappadocians, Matieni, Phrygians, and Paphlagonians. (1.72) The Battle of Halys; Thales predicts the solar eclipse of May 28, 585 BC (1.74) Croesus's defeat by Cyrus II of Persia, and how he later became Cyrus's advisor (1.70–92) The Tyrrhenians' descent from the Lydians: "Then the one group, having drawn the lot, left the country and came down to Smyrna and built ships, in which they loaded all their goods that could be transported aboard ship, and sailed away to seek a livelihood and a country; until at last, after sojourning with one people after another, they came to the Ombrici, where they founded cities and have lived ever since. They no longer called themselves Lydians, but Tyrrhenians, after the name of the king's son who had led them there,". (1.94) The rulers of the Medes: Deioces, Phraortes, Cyaxares, Astyages, Cyrus II of Persia (1.95–144) The rise of Deioces over the Medes Astyages's attempt to destroy Cyrus, and Cyrus's rise to power Harpagus tricked into eating his son, his revenge against Astyages by assisting Cyrus The culture of the Persians The history and geography of the Ionians, and the attacks on it by Harpagus Pactyes' convinces the Lydians to revolt. Rebellion fails and he seeks refuge from Mazares in Cyme (Aeolis) The culture of Assyria, especially the design and improvement of the city of Babylon and the ways of its people Cyrus's attack on Babylon, including his revenge on the river Gyndes and his famous method for entering the city Cyrus's ill-fated attack on the Massagetæ, leading to his death Book II (Euterpe) The proof of the antiquity of the Phrygians by the use of children unexposed to language The geography, customs, and history of Egypt (Sections 2–182) Speculations on the Nile river (Sections 2-34) The religious practices of Egypt, especially as they differ from the Greeks (sections 35–64) The animals of Egypt: cats, dogs, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, otters, phoenixes, sacred serpents, winged snakes, ibises The culture of Egypt: medicine, funeral rites, food, boats The kings of Egypt: Menes, Nitocris, Mœris, Sesostris, Pheron, Proteus Helen and Paris's stay in Egypt, just before the Trojan War (2.112–120) More kings of Egypt: Rhampsinit (and the story of the clever thief), Cheops (and the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza using machines), Chephren, Mycerinus, Asychis and the Ethiopian conqueror Sabacos, Anysis, Sethos The line of priests The Labyrinth More kings of Egypt: the twelve, Psammetichus (and his rise to power), Necôs, Psammis, Apries, Amasis II (and his rise to power) Book III (Thalia) Cambyses II of Persia's (son of Cyrus II and king of Persia) attack on Egypt, and the defeat of the Egyptian king Psammetichus III. Cambyses's abortive attack on Ethiopia The madness of Cambyses The good fortune of Polycrates, king of Samos Periander, the king of Corinth and Corcyra, and his obstinate son The revolt of the two Magi in Persia and the death of Cambyses The conspiracy of the seven to remove the Magi The rise of Darius I of Persia. The twenty satrapies The culture of India and their method of collecting gold The culture of Arabia and their method of collecting spices The flooded valley with five gates Orœtes's (governor of Sardis) scheme against Polycrates The physician Democêdes The rise of Syloson governor of Samos The revolt of Babylon and its defeat by the scheme of Zopyrus Book IV (Melpomene) The history of the Scythians (from the land north of the Black Sea) The miraculous poet Aristeas The geography of Scythia The inhabitants of regions beyond Scythia: Sauromatae, Budini, Thyssagetae, Argippaeans, Issedones, Arimaspi, Hyperboreans A comparison of Libya (Africa), Asia, and Europe The rivers of Scythia: the Ister, the Tyras, the Hypanis, the Borysthenes, the Panticapes, the Hypacyris, the Gerrhus, and the Tanais The culture of the Scythians: religion, burial rites, xenophobia (the stories of Anacharsis and Scylas), population (sections 59–81) The beginning of Darius's attack on Scythia, including the pontoon bridge over the Bosphorus The brutal worship of Zalmoxis by th.... 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