He is known for having written the book the histories greek. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. He engages his subject, herodotus histories, with full on engagement in the actual places herodotus wrote about. This is truly a creative way to write about history and engage ones audience in the process. There are strong indications that this is not the original division. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a.
Kirkus, 12108 a digressive, witty blend of travel writing and popular history marozzi does not shy away from bold statements or prurient details clever synopsis. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. He is simply one of the greatest storytellers who ever wrote. Mar 27, 2018 herodotus is able to bring a reader into the events of the stories he relates by creating vivid scenes with interesting characters and, sometimes, even dialogue. It is a lively yet thoughtprovoking excursion into the world of herodotus, with the man who invented history ever present, guiding the narrative with his discursive spirit.
Justin marozzi attempts to follow the ancient historian herodotus in his travels. Intrepid travel historian justin marozzi retraces the footsteps of herodotus through the mediterranean and middle east, examining herodotus s 2,500yearold observations about the cultures and places he visited and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to. Considering that herodotus is traditionally the first ionic text students encounter, the book would have been all the more useful had it contained a least a short summary of ionic peculiarities. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by.
Lempriere the nine books of the history of herodotus, 1827 tr. Intrepid travel historian justin marozzi retraces the footsteps of herodotus through the mediterranean and middle east, examining herodotuss 2,500yearold observations about the cultures and places he visited and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to this day. Clio these are the researches of herodotus of halicarnassus, which he publishes, in the hope of thereby preserving from decay the remembrance of what men have done, and of preventing the great and wonderful actions of the greeks and the barbarians from losing their due meed of glory. The preserve of languid young aristocrats milording it through europe, swanning across paris and geneva, cutting a dash in turin, florence, rome and venice, before hightailing it to innsbruck, heidelberg and potsdam. Justin marozzi is the author of the award winning baghdad. Herodotuss histories dealt with the clash of civilisations east v west. Our division of the histories in nine books goes back to an edition by scholars of the third century bce, working in the great library of alexandria. Herodotus 1 greek and latin texts with facing vocabulary. Greek text with facing vocabulary and commentary, 2nd ed. Justin is a travel writer, historian, journalist and political risk and security consultant. Bc, greek historian, called the father of history, b. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts of the aegean sea and the mainland of greece.
I liked author justin marozzis attempt to follow in herodotus philosophical footsteps. He was hardly an impartial observer of the world he wrote about and often gives personal opinions at length on various people, customs, and events. Justin marozzi travel writer historian a classical. This is the best reader i have seen for beginning the history, and it certainly goes recommended. The author sees herodotus as an aspiring geographer, a budding moralist, a skillful dramatist, a highspirited explorer, and an inveterate storyteller. As author justin marozzi follows the path of herodotus travels to egypt, greece, turkey and other lands, the reader has a chance to come to know these places both as they were in herodotus time and as they are now. On the legacy of the histories by herodotus, historian barry s. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass. Marozzi ends by discussing herodotus concepts of religion. Herodotus the great greek historian was born about 484 bce, at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. He was also the worlds first travel writer, a pioneering.
This book is a standard text for any college course in reading herodotus in greek. Travels with the man who invented history by justin marozzi. Herodotus has 366 books on goodreads with 124197 ratings. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the fifth century bc c. Justin marozzi s latest book, published by allen lane in the uk and pegasus in the us, is islamic empires. Written about 440 bc, the histories tell the story of the war between the persian empire and the greek citystates in the 5th century bc. His histories primarily deals with the lives of croesus, cyrus, cambyses, smerdis, darius, and xerxes and the battles of marathon, thermopylae, artemisium, salamis, plataea, and mycale. He seems to have travelled widely throughout the mediterranean world, including egypt, africa, the area around the black sea and throughout many greek citystates, of both the mainland and the islands. The chief men of thessaly, far from repenting of the part which they had taken in the war. The man who invented history by justin marozzi telegraph. He takes herodotus as a travelling companion, or correctly herodotus takes marozzi as a travelling companion.
The city we now know as bodrum, turkey had a prime location along the. This classic series represents the western canon not without academic controversy. Synopsis herodotus is known as the father of history, but he was much more than that. He has been called the father of history, and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent, and arrange them in a wellconstructed and vivid narrative. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. He has been called the father of history, and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent, and arrange them in.
The history of herodotus volume 1 all you can books. Alive to the implications of this cultural background for. Coming from halicarnassus, at the crossroads between the persian and athenian spheres of influence, he combined the culture of athens with that of the more pluralistic and less ethnocentric cities of east greece. So its fitting that, through herodotus book, the english patient reveals his own history. Thus the book is one long digression exactly what marozzi rightly considers herodotus histories themselves. Travels with herodotus first edition by marozzi, justin isbn. He was also the worlds first travel writer, a pioneering geographer, anthropologist, explorer, moralist, tireless investigative reporter and enlightened multiculturalist before. From the editor of the widely praised the landmark thucydides, a new landmark edition of the histories by herodotus. But i will put it off for a bit as there is more out there of interest to me at this time. Intrepid travel historian justin marozzi retraces the footsteps of herodotus through the mediterranean and middle east, examining herodotus s 2,500yearold observations about the cultures and places he visited and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to this day. July 20 this link contains a free pdf copy of herodotus book i. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position.
God is the father of history in the sense that he ordains it and brings all things to pass, and moses is the father of history in the sense that he wrote the first. Herodotus histories read by david timson unabridged. With lucid prose, herodotuss account of the rise of the persian empire and its dramatic war with the. A classical grand tour with herodotus so, you thought the grand tour was an 18thcentury phenomenon. Perhaps most famously, the book tells the heroic tale of the greeks resistance to the vast invading force assembled by xerxes, king of persia. Herodotus is often called the father of history, but this is a concession christians would hardly makedepending on perspective, that title belongs either to god or to moses. Taken with herodotus easy going style and the breadth of his research, marozzi is inspired to set out and write a book of his own, taking the historian along as his travel companion. He was born around 490 bc in halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor. Almasy keeps this book with him everywhere he goes, a fat volume that could explode at any moment like george costanzas wallet. Marozzi starts his journey in the tourist trap of bodrum, turkey, which was called halicarnassus when herodotus was born there around 480 b. Greek and roman historiography and related genres, edited by jakub pigon this book first published 2008 cambridge scholars publishing 12 back chapman street, newcastle upon tyne, ne6 2xx, uk british library cataloguing in publication data a catalogue record for this book is available from the british library.
Translator tom holland argues that the father of history is not only hugely entertaining but has an amazing capacity to. List of books and articles about herodotus online research. In the way of herodotus, intrepid travel historian justin marozzi retraces the footsteps of herodotus through the mediterranean and middle east, examining his 2,500yearold observations about the cultures and places he visited, and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to this day. During the classical age of greece, herodotus wrote the first. Edith hall is professor in the centre for hellenic studies at kings college london. In this talk at the iq2 great explorers festival on 28th october 2011, justin marozzi leads us in the footsteps of herodotus, the father of history and its first explorer in. After initial successes and the execution of the last pharaoh, cambyses goes crazy. Marozzi is a writer truly in the vein of herodotus. Written in 440 bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known in western asia, northern. Herodotus called his work an enquiry and wrote before history was a separate discipline.
The first english translation of herodotus might have been the best, but we have only two of the nine books and only the initials of its elizabethan translator, b. May 04, 2011 in this talk at the iq2 great explorers festival on 28th october 2011, justin marozzi leads us in the footsteps of herodotus, the father of history and its first explorer in a number of senses of. Marozzi with typically english selfeffacing humor gives a short history of his educational pursuits. The nine books of the history of herodotus, 1846 3rd ed translated by p. The latest volumes of the great books include some women writers, but they are still definitely underrepresented. Its from herodotus that we have the story of the 300 spartans at thermopylae, told in the broader context of the entire hellenic worlds successful resistance of the persian invasion. Jan 08, 2009 in the way of herodotus, intrepid travel historian justin marozzi retraces the footsteps of herodotus through the mediterranean and middle east, examining his 2,500yearold observations about the cultures and places he visited, and finding echoes of his legacy reverberating to this day. An annotated herodotus reader containing passages from books iix of the histories with introductory material for all nine books of the histories, commentary and grammatical notes. I plan on finishing this series with posts centered around other historians analysis of herodotus so as to reach an informed conclusion. Only scant knowledge of his life can be gleaned from his writings and from references to him by later writings, notably the suda. Jan 01, 2003 few facts are known about the life of herodotus. The histories was at some point divided into the nine books that appear in modern editions, conventionally named after the nine muses. The way of herodotus ebook by justin marozzi 9780786727278. Despite herodotus s historical significance, little is known about his personal life.
Feb 15, 2010 taken with herodotus easy going style and the breadth of his research, marozzi is inspired to set out and write a book of his own, taking the historian along as his travel companion. What marozzi most admires about herodotus is his lifegrabbing energy, says ian pindar. The book is worth the read if for nothing else than to see words well used and well written. Calliope mardonius, when alexander upon his return made known to him the answer of the athenians, forthwith broke up from thessaly, and led his army with all speed against athens. South from barbary 2001 is an account of his explorations through the libyan sahara. I managed to get through volume one and someday may take on volume two. Jeremy seal is enthralled by travels with herodotus. The history of herodotus, 1791 4 vols, translated from the greek, with notes, by william beloe the history of herodotus, 1792 translated from the greek, with notes subjoined, by j.
He traveled along the coast of asia minor to the northern islands and to the shore of the black sea. Translator tom holland argues that the father of history is not. The histories of herodotus of halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in western literature. Cicero called herodotus the father of history, and his only work, the histories, is considered the first true piece of historical writing in western literature. Oct 04, 20 herodotuss histories dealt with the clash of civilisations east v west. Adolf kirchhoff, indeed, is my only predecessor in the compositional analysis of herodotus whose work has stood the test of time. Oct 02, 2008 after enjoying the way of herodotus, i feel as if i now know the man, herodotus, and the highlights of his works. He has travelled extensively in the middle east and muslim world and in recent years has worked in conflict and postconflict environments such as iraq, afghanistan and darfur. Herodotus is known as the father of history, but he was much more than that. Travels with herodotus by justin marozzi 20081002 by justin marozzi jan 1, 1740. Jun 28, 1987 the first english translation of herodotus might have been the best, but we have only two of the nine books and only the initials of its elizabethan translator, b. I finished reading this not long after ryszard kapuscinskis older book with a very similar. Islamic civilization was once the envy of the world.
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