The first historian of the world in modern sense

History is no doubt a fascinating subject but in our schools it is not taught in a disciplined manner. Further, there is a tendency to hide facts and depend only in mythology and partisan as many historians have pointed out in numerous articles in the newspapers. The veracity of such research is yet to be discerned. Let we leave it to scholars to fight out the truth.

As students let us know something about a Greek historian named Herodotus who is believed to have been born in 484 B C. But his interpretation of history was not scientific as the present day researchers. His sources were first the eyewitness recordings of his three principal journeys and also by hearsay. However he is dubbed as the father of history in the western world.

His subject was the relations between Greeks and the Oriental Powers that existed during his time.

Edith Hamilton	Sir Walter Scott

He distrusted the old myths but tended to support superhuman and miraculous occurrences. At the same time he did not sound dogmatic and never commented on such matters. Even if he had occasion to comment on certain things he did not indicate that his own was important. He merely gave the existing account one after the other and commented less on them.

He was a military historian. As such his accounts tended to be historical romances as Sir Walter Scott's novels were. He is reported to have grossly exaggerated description of Oriental might. His purpose had been to be didactic. That is to male people remember history and take example from them.

What is the modern view of Herodotus?

According to Peter D Arnold Herodotus was a source for history rather than history itself. But there was a structural quality in his presentation meaning a balance form as in Greek tragedy.

“He often sacrifices logic and historical accuracy to the making of a point by deliberate juxtaposition and contrast. As many Greek literates expected he wanted his writing a functional purpose.

Let us now see what Edith Hamilton has got to say on Herodotus.

“He is the historian of the glorious fight for liberty in which the Greeks conquered the overwhelming power of Persia. The watch word was Freedom.” She adds: “He is always called the ‘father of history,'but he was quite as much the father of geography, of archaeology, of anthropology, of sociology, of whatever has to do with human beings and the places in which they live.”

We see in Herodotus’ writing that he never judged or condemned. His writing is simple, lucid and direct and that is a virtue of a better writer. We learn that the word history’ in Greek means’ investigation.’ According to Edith Hamilton Herodotus was a born investigator and ‘there is no doubt that Herodotus understood dramatic requirement’ in his presentation of history.

It is interesting to note that some of the Oriental versions of local history in ancient times was also almost similar in recording hearsays than investigating the truth behind the facts.

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