Who Was the Greek Historian Herodotus?

By N.S. Gill, About.com Guide

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Herodotus

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Herodotus of Halicarnassus (c. 484-425 B.C.):

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An essential resource for those interested in ancient Greece, Herodotus, the first historian proper, is called the father of history [see Cicero De legibus 1.5: "Herodotum patrem historiae"]. He was born in the essentially Dorian (Greek, but not Ionian) colony of Halicarnassus on the southwest coast of Asia Minor, which at the time was part of the Persian Empire. He was a young child at the time of the Persian War Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.) and had not yet been born when Athens won the renowned Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.).

"Father of History or Father of Lies; The Reputation of Herodotus," by J. A. S. Evans; The Classical Journal (Oct., 1968), pp. 11-17.

Halicarnassus in the Persian Wars:

Lyxes, the father of Herodotus, was probably from Caria, in Asia Minor. So was Artemisia, the female despot of Halicarnassus who joined Xerxes in his expedition against Greece in the Persian Wars. [See Salamis.]

Following victories over the Persians by the mainland Greeks, Halicarnassus rebelled against foreign rulers. In consequence of his part in rebellious actions, Herodotus was sent into exile to the Ionian island of Samos (home of Pythagoras), but then returned to Halicarnassus around 454 to take part in the overthrow of Artemisia's son, Lygdamis.

Herodotus of Thurii:

Herodotus calls himself Herodotus of Thurii rather than Halicarnassus because he was a citizen of the pan-Hellenic city of Thurii, which was founded in 444/3. One of his fellow colonists was the philosopher Pythagoras of Samos.

His Travels:

Between the time of the overthrow of Lygdamis and Herodotus' settling in Thurii, Herodotus traveled around most of the known world. On one trip, he probably went to Egypt, Phoenicia, and Mesopotamia; on another, he went to Scythia. Herodotus traveled to learn about foreign countries -- to have a look (the Greek word for looking is related to our English word theory). He also lived at Athens, spending time in the company of his friend and the writer of great Greek tragedy, Sophocles.

Popularity:

The Athenians so appreciated Herodotus' writing that in 445 B.C. he received a reward of 10 talents -- an enormous sum.

Herodotus - The Father of History:

Despite major shortcomings in the area of accuracy, Herodotus is called "the father of history" -- even by his contemporaries. Sometimes, however, more accuracy-minded people described him as "the father of lies".

Occupation:

Historian

Herodotus' Histories, celebrating the Greek victory over the Persians, were written in the mid-fifth century B.C. Herodotus wanted to present as much information about the Persian War as he could. What sometimes reads like a travelogue, includes information on the entire Persian Empire, and simultaneously explains the origins (aitia) of the conflict, by reference to mythological prehistory. Even with the fascinating digressions and fantastic elements, Herodotus' history was an advance over the previous writers of quasi-history, who are known as logographers.

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