Herodotus book 2 egyptian culture facts

The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Gyges, ardys, sadyattes ii, alyattes and finally, his son croesus who we look at in some detail. In the second book of his history, the greek writer gave the following account. His book about the wars between the persians and the greek city states was a collection of his historiahis inquirieswhich is where we get the very word history from yet he is also known to some as the father of lies. It is a quadruped, clovenfooted, with hoofs like an ox, and a flat nose.

The egyptians were the first who made it a point of religion not to lie with women in temples, nor to enter into temples after going away from women without first bathing. Its simply called, the histories, and it was written two and a half thousand years ago by a greek, named herodotus. Many egyptian customs described by herodotus are the reversal of a custom that existed in greece. The lost labyrinth of ancient egypt part 1 ancient origins. Herodotus describes the birth and rise to power of cyrus, who liberated persia from the medes, and the subsequent expansion of the persian empire until cyrus death during a war with the massagetae. Five fascinating facts about herodotus interesting. The first six books deals with the growth of the persian empire under the rulers of croesus and later cyrus the great. Note herodotus was born at halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor, in the early part of the fifth century, b. Herodotus was more of a storyteller than a historian.

Estimates of the year of his birth are based on the observation that in the histories, he does not claim to have witnessed the persian invasion that took. When cyrus had brought his life to an end, cambyses received the royal power in succession, being the son of cyrus and of cassandane the daughter of pharnaspes, for whose death, which came about before his own, cyru. Historical causation in herodotus the histories and. Essay about commentary on book two of herodotus histories 2. Egyptian priest inform solon of facts that the athenians. Strange stories of early egypt by herodotus audiobook. He was born in the essentially dorian hellenic or greek, yes. Herodotus and hellenistic culture 203 his own country. Many scholars refer to him as the father of history in western culture. It is important to remember that this tiny little book or short, if youre reading it on kindle sets the tone for a much larger historical context, both before herodotus visited and definitely afterward as we witness at the close of the work the beginning of the acheamenid persian rule in egypt. Full audio books for everyone earns money off of the above links. Herodotus description of egypt and the egyptians the history of herodotus, george rawlinson, ed. Elizabeth eltze herodotus histories, book 2, section 86 amphora. Histories book 2 the history of egypt summary course hero.

His plan to conquer egypt gives herodotus the opportunity to dedicate three logoi to the ancient kingdom on the. While in the northern, delta region of the country, herodotus spent his time with the egyptian priests, who told the greek of their history, culture, and science. Like many important ancient greeks, herodotus was not only not born in athens but wasnt even born in what we think of as europe. Herodotus was thus born a persian subject, and such he con tinued until he was thirty or fiveandthirty years of age. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who was born in halicarnassus in the persian empire modernday bodrum, turkey. A flawed and fascinating account of all things egyptian, much of it from firsthand testimony. Book ii contains the succession of cambyses, cyruss son, his plan to attack.

Thucydides, the younger man by about 15 years, produced a. This woman, according to the reportage of some greeks as opposed to others metexeteroi. Mar 27, 2018 herodotus is fascinated by the interplay of nature and culture. Gathering research from his travels around egypt, africa, and asia, herodotus recorded his observations and. Called the father of history by cicero, the greek historian herodotus born in 484 b. Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by herodotus of halicarnassus. Herodotus counts by generations, for example the kings of the mermnads dynasty, ruling from c.

Two of herodotus histories consists mainly of a discussion of the cultures and customs of. The explanation is that the ancient greeks believed that the barbarians on the edges of the earth were the opposite of the civilized people in the middle of the terrestrial disk. An account of egypt is herodotus second book in his histories, titled euterpe. The numbers in the text are the chapters from which the quotes are taken. Herodotus, a greek historian, wrote a history of the known world 2,440 years ago. During his life, herodotus probably told his stories in front of large numbers of people in greek cities. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 2. It is interesting to note that there are no living winged serpents in our day. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. Herodotus has been called the father of history, as he pretty much invented the entire discipline. Of his life we know almost nothing, except that he spent much of it traveling, to collect the material for his writings, and that he finally settled down at thurii, in southern italy, where his great work was composed. The histories of herodotus translated by george rawlinson 185860 canon of canterbury and camden, professor of ancient history at the university of oxford. Herodotus, greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient. C icero called herodotus the father of history, but he is not a historians historian in the sense that thucydides is.

Histories by herodotus translated by george rawlinson book 2 euterpe. Why does herodotus go on so many digressions about babylon, egypt, and other places in the ancient near east before beginning his account of the. Feb 20, 2015 herodotus, a greek historian, wrote a history of the known world 2,440 years ago. Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. Herodotus on the egyptians ancient history encyclopedia.

It is clear that herodotus travelled over an immense amount of the ground himself. Herodotus was a resident of halicarnassus modern bodrum in turkey and wrote the histories of herodotus, a greek history of the persian invasion of greece in the early fifth century bce. It is the oldest book we have where a person we would call white talks at length about blackskinned people. For any one who sees egypt, without having heard a word about it before, must perceive, if he has only common powers of observation, that the egypt to which the greeks go in their ships is an acquired country.

Cambyses becomes king of the persian empire 530522 bc. Herodotus histories book ii the second book of the histories, called euterpe 1. The first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that 1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works 2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may lose their renown. Herodotus made a trek to the egypt of his day 400s b. Many of his facts are fantastical or bizarre and can be enjoyed as fables or tall tales. I owe it to tell what is being told, but i by no means owe it to believe it. Hellenon, commissioned the building of the third and smallest of the three pyramids at the site now known as giza. The heliopolitans have the reputation of being the best skilled in history of all the egyptians. In his work,the history of herodotus, book 2, herodotus records an interesting report of flying winged serpents. Appleton and company, 1885, book 2, chapters 599 5. Herodotus was the first to describe the labyrinth of egypt. Herodotus was called the father of history by cicero for his writings about the ancient empires of babylon, egypt, and persia, and about the ancient greeks.

Three things set him apart from the way whites talk about blacks in our time. Read the excerpt from the history of herodotus, book 2. In particular, passage eightysix describes the practice of an ancient ritual that has fascinated people for millennia. Gathering research from his travels around egypt, africa, and asia, herodotus recorded his observations and interviews with locals in a thorough, consistent way. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Book 2 of herodotus opens up with what must be one of history s earliest recorded descriptions of a scientific experiment, also one the stupidest. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who was born in halicarnassus, caria modernday bodrum, turkey and lived in the fifth century bce c.

He is known for having written the book the histories greek. He crossed the mediterranean to egypt and traveled through. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of. Herodotus claims that since this legendary king 330 pharaohs have ruled he does not mention all of them, but gives some attention to the great conqueror sesostris, who has conquered the whole world. He has been called the father of history, as well as the father of lies. How could he resist that most egyptian of arts, mummification. The third logos of herodotus histories is entirely devoted to egyptian history. Before herodotus, no writer had ever made such a systematic, thorough study of the past or tried to explain. Rival historian thucydides, who relied only on factual evidence to. Herodotus and a courtesan from naucratis classical inquiries. In book 2, herodotus discusses the geography, culture, and history of egypt. He was born at helicarnassus, asia minor in 484 bc.

Hecataeus and the theban priests reported in the second book of the. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it. Consider for example his opening statement in the beginning of the book. The histories by herodotus translated by george rawlinson this text was designed to accompany roman roads medias 4year video course old western culture. These accounts cannot be overlooked and do much to show that our presuppositions about flying reptiles and dinosaurs are flawed. The second book is largely concerned with egypt and the annexing of it by cyruss successor cambyses. Herodotus covers the empires geography, social structure, and history before describing the events which led to xerxes invasion of greece and the greek citystates uniting to defeat his army. That these were the real facts i learnt at memphis from the priests of vulcan. Three things set him apart from the way whites talk about blacks in. He was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy and arrange them in a vivid narrative.

In this vastly informative and engaging piece, herodotus has covered the vast history, culture and the greatness of egypt. After journeys to india and pakistan, french ethnologist michel peissel claimed to have discovered an animal species that may illuminate one of the most bizarre passages in herodotus s histories. This quotation from herodotus, a greek who traveled in egypt, is about how the nile river enabled ancient egyptian civilization to develop and succeed. To the ancient greeks, the egyptian civilization seemed impossibly old. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization.

In book 3, passages 102 to 105, herodotus reports that a species of foxsized, furry ants lives in one of the far eastern, indian provinces of the. Introduction this paper will offer a commentary on herodotus histories 2. His plan to conquer egypt gives herodotus the opportunity. Herodotus lays out the history of egypt until the reign of amasis, the pharaoh that cambyses will defeat in histories. 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. The writings of herodotus concerning ancient egypt contain a great deal of information about the particulars of egyptian society, geography, and religion. Herodotuss eyewitness accounts indicate that he traveled in egypt in association with athenians, probably sometime.

Dec 11, 2002 the writings of herodotus concerning ancient egypt contain a great deal of information about the particulars of egyptian society, geography, and religion. Connecting egyptian religion and customs to that of the greeks in which herodotus friendly manner towards egypt can be felt. He was probably born to a rich family in halicarnassus, a town in southwest asia minor now bodrum, turkey herodotus was called the father of history by cicero for his writings about the ancient empires of babylon, egypt, and persia, and about the ancient greeks. Dec 20, 2016 mourning ceremonies is a very distinctive custom in egyptian culture. The greek historian, herodotus, mentioned in his book the history of. Herodotus, greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world, the history of the grecopersian wars. Egyptian culture, facts about egypt culture, egypt culture.

The egyptian priests make it a point of religion not to kill any live animals except those which they offer in sacrifice. Herodotus history, mythology, art, war, culture, society. There is, however, a great deal of information that can be gained from looking at what the writings suggest about herodotus of harlicannassus himself, as well as his greek culture. Moreover the naming of almost all the gods has come to hellas from egypt. Nov 21, 2017 im going to be telling you stories from the oldest book of history that we have. His aim, he tells us, was to keep alive the astounding events, and the glorious deeds on both sides of the persian wars. The following is comprised of excerpts from his book. Herodotus goes on many digressions about egypt, talks about. Herodotus gives us the details of the three forms of mummification the egyptians use. It was cicero, the acclaimed roman orator, who branded herodotus the father of history, and sure enough it was herodotus who first gave us. Herodotus histories book ii classical wisdom weekly. The hippopotamus, in the canton of papremis, is a sacred animal, but not in any other part of egypt.

He remains the leading source of original information not only for greek history between 550 and 479 bce but also for much of that of western asia and of egypt at that time. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. He is most notably known for his writing of the histories. Herodotus knew that any facts he could reveal about the egyptians would be eagerly leaped on by his audience. Of course it is true that such calculations fail to distinguish between the ptolemaic and roman periods. It was not long after that 446 at the latest that herodotus set out on his third great expedition, this time to egypt. For any one who sees egypt, without having heard a word about it before, must perceive, if he has only common powers of observation, that the egypt to which the greeks go in their ships is an acquired country, the. Herodotus spent his entire life working on just one project.

The histories of herodotus of halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in western literature. The historian, herodotus wrote about flying reptiles. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. Unlike book 1, book 2 s recollections of kings were less specific and more sparse but he does include descriptions of animals and their role in egyptian society which i found interesting and new. The magi are a very peculiar race, different entirely from the egyptian priests, and indeed from all other men whatsoever.