Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7. Polymnia now when tidings of the battle that had been fought at marathon reached the ears of king darius, the son of hystaspes, his anger against the athenians, which had been already roused by their attack upon sardis, waxed still fiercer, and he became more than ever eager to lead an army against greece. They accordingly sent their advance guard, not expecting the war at thermopylae to be decided so quickly. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who lived in the 5th century bce. Histories book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary. The following is an excerpt from his book the histories that describes the persian army at the battle of thermopylae.
Tom holland is the awardwinning author of rubicon, persian fire, and most recently in the shadow of the sword. The name of it is gates of fire written by steven pressfield. His accounts of the great battles of marathon and thermopylae, of salamis and plataea, retain. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae. Few history books since can compare for sheer drama with herodotuss narrative of the persian invasions of greece. The roster of the greek contingents at thermopylae 20. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass. The histories by herodotus, volume 1 complete audio book herodotus histories vol 1 herodotus c. Paul cartledge is the author of sparta and lakonia and the greeks. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated. Mar 15, 2019 herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. Although scholars have hardly ever thought of herodotus as a great military historian, he has managed nonetheless to infuse many of his battle narratives with a profound sense of excitement and pathos simultaneously.
Herodotus c480c425 is the father of history and his histories are the first piece of western historical writing. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. He found the victims favourable, if the greeks stood on the defensive, but not if they began the battle or crossed the river asopus. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a. A decade later the persians, led by xerxes, returned but were decisively defeated at the battle of plataea in 479 bce. The histories herodotus translated by george rawlinson book 1 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. The greek forces at thermopylae, when the persian army drew near to the entrance of the pass, were seized with fear. Anecdotes illustrating the brave spirit of various spartans 22627.
The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. Herodotus histories and its reliability the johns hopkins. As the titles states, this is about the battle for the west. Herodotus simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Gates of fire, by stephen pressfield, has the battle of thermopylae book vii as its. Quotation of verse inscriptions epitaphs from thermopylae 228. Herodotus magnificent writing have vividly explained one of the most exceptional battles, in addition to showing the world the incredible greek society, and the ever so powerful spartan army. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the peoples that the persians have. Herodotus was able to write this account of the grecopersian wars by traveling throughout greece and asia minor. Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary. Really more about xerxes battle to conquer greece than just the battle of thermopylae, which is just 23 chapters.
Explore the site of a battle at thermopylae, described by herodotus, and the subject of two 21st century movies. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. There are also links to commentary on the battle of thermopylae. Herodotus was called the father of history by cicero. There was also the battle of thermopylae which is the basis of the extremely historically accurate 2006 movie 300. The main source for the battle of 480 is herodotus, histories, 7. Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7, 2015 your bibliography. 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. Sources battle of thermopylae 480 bc stories preschool. Instantly he sent off messengers to make proclamation through the several states that. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek, tr. Defending the pass have a good breakfast, men, for we dine in hades, king leonidas to his spartan bodyguard by ludwig heinrich dyck. 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.
Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and. This activity presents the longest and most challenging reading assignment from herodotus. Find a summary of this and each chapter of histories. He cannot deceive artaphrenes, who compares him to the maker of a shoe that aristagoras has put on. Part of a complete english translation of herodotus. Despite herodotus s historical significance, little is known about his personal life. I know this book is fiction, but it is on the usmc commandants reading list, is taught to the corps of cadets at west point, annapo. Histories, that of the battle of thermopylae is surely one of the most famous and most moving. The battle here fought was the last of all the five. On the battle of thermopylae itself, two principal sources, herodotus and simonides accounts, survive. These have appeared in a range of media from plain text to historical fantasy.
In fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important source that paul cartledge wrote. Two spartans, eurytus and aristodemus, were in sick bay at battle time. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and. Herodotus magnificent writing have vividly explained one of the most exceptional battles, in addition to showing the world the incredible greek society, and the ever so. Histories book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary course hero. King leonidas of sparta and the battle at thermopylae. 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 africa and greece at that time. Ramsey parra llrn 151 01 300 scholars, artists, authors, and filmmakers in recent years have been interested in herodotuss depiction of the battle of thermopylae, creating several different versions and interpretations of the story across multiple forms of media. Herodotus and the persian wars the organization of herodotus histories is discursive main thrust. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories essay. The extent of the greeks geographical knowledge of the world can be reconstructed from considering regions and places mentioned by contemporary authors. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. The modern reader of the text of herodotus will have no trouble recognising the spartans here called lacedaemonians, and might well know that there were not many of them, and that only 300 of them faced the persians at the battle of thermopylae in 480 bce. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece.
The battle of thermopylae the histories of herodotus excerpt the battle of thermopylae was the initial engagement between. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. Mar 02, 2011 the battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories the battle of thermopylae, which herodotus recorded in his writing the histories, was one of the most arduous and notable battles of western history. Bradfords ethnocentric comments about the greek personality, are rather outrageous. To the west2 of thermopylae rises a high mountain inaccessible and precipitous, a spur. He was born at halicarnassus, a town in southwest asia minor now bodrum, turkey, probably in 484 bc.
A wealthy lydian, pythius, offers xerxes his entire fortune for the war effort. Herodotus was an extremely significant historian who lived during the 5th century b. How herodotus might have come to know about the battle of. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of.
He is most well known for bravely leading a small force of greeks, including the famous 300 spartans, along with a few hundred thespians and thebans against the much larger persian army of xerxes, at the pass of thermopylae in 480 b. Whats the best book youve read on the battle of thermopylae. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories the battle of thermopylae, which herodotus recorded in his writing the histories, was one of the most arduous and notable battles of western history. Urged on by themistocles, the confederate fleet chanced an engagement with the persians in the afternoon of august 18. Although scholars have hardly ever thought of herodotus as a great military historian, he has managed nonetheless to infuse many of his battle narratives with a profound sense of. Why did pheidippides run the 26 miles and 385 yards or 42. Creation, by gore vidal, interpreting many scenes from the persian viewpoint. Historical novels sourcing material from herodotus. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. These are the forces which came to artemisium for battle, and i have now shown how. Few facts are known about his life but he remains known through his lifes work, the histories. The histories of herodotus, completed in the second half of the 5th century bc, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of nonfiction writing. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories. Such accordingly were the intentions of the allies. Pharaoh, by boleslaw prus, incorporating the labyrinth scenes inspired by herodotus description in book ii of the histories. Herodotus s depiction of the battle of thermopylae 1278 words 6 pages. He wrote about the ancient empires of babylon, egypt, and persia, and about the ancient greeks during his life, herodotus probably told his stories in front of large numbers. Strangely enough, its a book of historical fiction.
Having stated this at the beginning of the twentysecond logos, herodotus feels compelled to express an opinion which he knows to be unpopular. By and large, the battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories was an extremely notable and remarkable battle for the history of the west, as well as the world. The pivotal event of the history is the battle of marathon 490 bce, where the persians were defeated by the greeks. Herodotus and the persian wars utah state university.
Thermopylae was a very narrow pass that would prevent the persians from using their cavalry in battle. Nominally, xerxes expedition was directed against athens, but its real objective was the conquest of the whole of greece. He was a young boy during the persian war, and interviewed greek veterans of the persian war to get the information he needed for his history. The spartans had now brought tisamenus with them to the plataean territory, where he acted as soothsayer for the greeks. The histories, herodotus the histories of herodotus is the founding work of history in western literature. Thermopylae and herodotus wenxin zheng exchange student, nanjing university, china battle of thermopylae, which occurred ten years after the battle of marathon in the first bohemia war, is another famous historical clash between the persian empire and ancient greece. Herodotus was born around 480 bc in halicarnassus, on the southwest coast of asia minor. The greek army at thermopylae is very small compared to the over five million herodotus counts among the persians.
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