Herodotus book 7 thermopylae passage

Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7, 2015 your bibliography. The width of the pass at thermopylae, according to herodotus pray to the winds. At that time the scythians used every means of entreating the ionians, who had been charged to guard the bridges of the ister, to destroy the way of passage. 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 s depiction of the battle of thermopylae 1278 words 6 pages. Artemisiumfrom the open thracian sea from a broad spot a drawing close is made to the passage between the island of sciathus and the mainland of magnesiafrom the narrow.

So far xerxes fleet had not suffered any military losses 7. Herodotus and the dating of the battle of thermopylae. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece. Herodotus was referring to the period of the truce which preceded the games.

Of thermopylae whats towards the wests a mountain, impassable. The quarrel over succession by two of darius sons, artabazanes and xerxes 2. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. He well uses both modern and ancient sources to tell the story not just of the battle of thermopylae. At the beginning of the histories, herodotus sets out his reasons for writing it. The heroic battles near athens at marathon 490 bce, thermopylae, salamis, and finally plataea 479 bce were classical greeks crowning military achievements, and herodotus was determined to record these great deeds for future generations particularly in view of the ignominious and disastrous peloponnesian wars that followed. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt.

Here are presented the results of the enquiry carried out by herodotus of halicarnassus. The athenians, strong at sea, take their navy to block the passage of the persian. Moreover, by defending two constricted passages thermopylae and artemisium, the greeks inferior numbers became less of a factor. Darius last days herodotus opens with the failure of darius to comprehend his. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. Simonides, ephorus, and herodotus on the battle of thermopylae. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. Herodotus and the 300 at thermopylae 223 to my knowledge no other scholar has joined fehling in this opinion, and most, if not all, tend to take herodotus at his word. King xerxes lay encamped in trachis in malis and the hellenes in the pass.

This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their. This tentative occupation involved passage over the hindu kush mountain range, what the greeks called the paropamisus, and passage, most easily, through the khyber pass. 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. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. 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. Histories book 7 the battle of thermopylae summary. Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 7 the battle of thermopylae. 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 history of herodotus book i the first book of the histories, called clio this is the showing forth of the inquiry of herodotus of halicarnassos, to the end that1 neither the deeds of men may be forgotten by lapse of time, nor the works2 great and marvellous, which have been produced some by hellenes and some by barbarians, may. Textual strategies in ancient war narrative thermopylae. By thermopylae, the passage is only as wide as a carriage. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.

Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and edited by a. In fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important. Herodotus notes that while xerxes ostensibly meant to punish athens, his real intent was to conquer all of greece. This will give 5,283,220 as the whole number of men brought by xerxes, the son of darius, as far as sepias and thermopylae. We have therefore to add to the sum already reached an exactly equal amount. The greek army at thermopylae is very small compared to the over five million herodotus counts among the persians. To the rest of the peloponnesians then it seemed best that they should go to the peloponnese and hold the isthmus in guard. The athenians, strong at sea, take their navy to block the passage of the persian navy.

I pass over all the other officers, because there is. However i will not reckon them as either fewer or more, but take them at an equal number. Then, hearing that the persian was in pieria, they broke up from the isthmus and set out with their army to thermopylae and their fleet to. Understand how the geography of the area has changed, and consider how the retelling of. The subsequent trojan war is marked as a precursor to later conflicts between peoples of asia and europe. Afterwards from fear of the spartans he fled to thessaly, and when he had fled, a price was proclaimed for his life. The extent of the greeks geographical knowledge of the world can be reconstructed from considering regions and places mentioned by contemporary authors. Summary of and commentary on herodotus histories, book 7. This place is called thermopylae by most of the hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors pylae. In any case, it is doubtful whether any fifthcentury historical writer either published before herodotus or gave a detailed narrative of the persian wars.

The passage, from book i of his histories, is interesting in the way herodotus contrasts the behavior and values of the persians with those. His goal no longer is the punishment of athens, but the subjugation of europe. Candaules, gyges, ardys, sadyattes, alyattes, croesus 1. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of. Fowler, herodotus and his contemporaries, jhs 116 1996, 6287, who maintains, against jacoby, that some of the socalled local historians were known to herodotus. The battle of thermopylae the histories of herodotus. The battle of thermopylae was the initial engagement between the persian empire and the confederation of greek citystates led by sparta during the second persian invasion of greece in 480 bc. The battle that changed the world 1st edition, kindle. In the peisistratos passage, for example, herodotus describes the athenians as held down in a speech from the famous persian political debate that was described by herodotus in histories 3. 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. Instantly he sent off messengers to make proclamation through. This provided herodotus with an occasion to once more take stock of the persian forces 7. The histories, herodotus the histories of herodotus is the founding work of history in western literature.

Book i clio the rapes of io, europa, and medea, which motivated paris to abduct helen. But another emblematic passage of herodotus book 7 a supposed interview between xerxes and the deposed spartan exking demaratus makes clear how this last clause of the epigram was supposed to be read. The roster of the greek contingents at thermopylae 20. Ii the most common way of explaining how herodotus learned the names of the 300 is to connect his remark here with a passage in pausanias which. What this book does is that it goes deeper into the events and cultural factors that built up to thermopylae and the role of that battle in the wider struggle between east and west at. Darius is lenient towards the prisoners from eretria, and resettles them. On the battle of thermopylae itself, two principal sources, herodotus and simonides accounts, survive. Herodotus excerpts from book vii of the histories translated and.

The battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by king. He was told that they were celebrating the olympia 8. 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. Herodotus 484425 bce the greek historian who wrote extensively on the persian empire, here describes persian customs as they would have been practiced around the year 430 bce at susa and other persian communities. And thou, mardonius, son of gobryas, forbear to speak foolishly concerning the greeks, who are men that ought. Xerxes according to herodotus encyclopaedia iranica. The main source for the battle of 480 is herodotus, histories.

This rests on an interpretation of herodotus which states he was a purposeful, subtle historian, one which i agree with. Herodotus counts by generations, for example the kings of the mermnads dynasty, ruling from c. In fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important source that paul cartledge wrote. Back in asia, datis is forced by a dream to return a golden statue to delphium in thebes via delos 118. Explore the site of a battle at thermopylae, described by herodotus, and the subject of two 21st century movies. This chapter outlines the epic backdrop to the battle of thermopylae, and includes a catalogue of epic echoes throughout herodotus book 7 as well as a detailed discussion of herodotus battle narrative. Gyges, ardys, sadyattes ii, alyattes and finally, his son croesus who we look at in some detail. The battle of thermopylae is filled with memorable anecdotes that have thrilled contemporary and later audiences. The history of herodotus by herodotus the internet classics archive. A narratological comparison of herodotus and diodorus on thermopylae narrative and identity in thermopylae herodotus 7. The greeks took up their defensive positions at the pass of thermopylae and cape artemisium 7.