Histories of Herodotus

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Herodotus histories in a manuscript with corrections by the humanist Lorenzo Valla in the margin. Rome, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. Gr. 122, fol. 41r and 122r (early 15th century)

The histories ( ancient Greek ἱστορίαι historíai , German 'explorations' , 'inquiries') of Herodotus are the only surviving work of the Greek writer. The history includes nine books and was written in the 5th century BC. Written in BC. It provides an overview of the historical processes from around 700 to 479 BC, i.e. represents a period of around 220 years. The main reference point of the representation are the Persian Wars at the end of this period, which are of decisive importance for the further course of Greek antiquity were.

Contents of the Histories of Herodotus

The structure of the content with indication of the section numbers follows the Tusculum edition of Feix 2001 cited below. The basic structure of the histories is given by the Achaemenid great kings Cyrus II , Cambyses II , Dareios I and Xerxes and their deeds and campaigns, i.e. by the historical line of kings of the "enemies" or "barbarians", not through Greek personalities or events. The opening credits in book 1 about the Lydians and their king Kroisos and the whole book 2, which is dedicated to the land of Egypt and its history, deviate from this basic structure . (However, Book 2 serves as a preparation for the presentation of the conquest of Egypt by Cambyses in Book 3 and thus fits in with the Cambyses section of the complete work.)

Book 1 - The Lydians and Kroisos. Cyrus: submission of Asia Minor, Babylonia and the massagers

Modern map of the "world" of Herodotus by Samuel Butler , 1907.
  • Objective of the entire work (1)
  • Introduction: Greeks and Barbarians in Mythical Times (1–5)
  • The Lydians and Croesus (6-94)
    • Oldest history of the Lydians (7-25)
    • Kroisos (26-94)
      • Kroisos and Solon (26–33)
      • Kroisos and Adrastos (34–45)
      • Kroisos and the Oracle (46-55)
      • Kroisos and the Greeks (56-70)
      • Kroisos and Cyrus (71–94)
  • Origin of the Persian Empire and Cyrus (95–216)
    • Youth of Cyrus (95-122)
    • Descent of the Persians from the Medes (122–144)
      • Excursus: Morals of the Persians (131–140)
    • Subjugation of Asia Minor (141-176)
      • Greek cities in Asia Minor (141–151)
      • Uprising and subjugation of the Lydians (152–161)
      • Subjugation of Asia Minor by Harpagos (162-176)
    • Subjugation of the Babylonians (177-200)
      • Babylon (178-187)
      • Conquest of Babylon (188–191)
      • The Land of Babylon and its Customs (192-200)
    • Campaign against the massagers (201–216)
      • Country description (201–216)
      • Campaign and Death of Cyrus (205–214)
      • Customs of the massagers (215-216)

Book 2 - The land of Egypt and its history

  • Country description of Egypt (2–34)
  • Description of the customs of Egypt (35–98)
  • History of Egypt (99-182)
    • The first five kings (99-123)
    • The pyramid builders (124-136)
    • Foreign rule. Twelve Kings (137–151)
    • Psammetichos and his successors (151–161)
    • Amasis (162-182)

Book 3 - Cambyses: Campaigns against Egypt and other countries. Beginning of the Darius rule

Book 4 - Dareios: Scythian Campaign. Campaign against Libya

  • The Scythian Campaign (1–144)
    • Reasons of Darius I for the campaign (1–4)
    • Oldest history of the Scythians (5-15)
    • The peoples north of the Scythians (16–36)
    • The shape of the earth (37-45)
    • Rivers in the Scythian Country (46–58)
    • Scythian customs and traditions (59–82)
    • The campaign of Darius against the Scythians (83–144)
  • Train of Aryand against Libya and Cyrene (145–205)
    • Prehistory (145–156)
    • Foundation of Kyrenes (157–167)
    • Description of Libya (168–199)
    • Capture of Bark (200–205)

Book 5 - Darius: The Ionian Revolt

Book 6 - Darius: End of the Ionian Rebellion. Campaigns against Greece

  • End of the Ionian Rebellion (1-42)
    • Histiaios (1-30)
      • Escape of Histiaios (1-5)
      • Siege of Miletus (6-25)
      • End of Histiaios (26-30)
    • Subjugation of the islands and cities on the Hellespont (31–42)
  • Campaign of Mardonios against Greece (43–45)
  • Campaign of the Datis and Artaphernes against Greece (46–140)

Book 7 - Xerxes: Campaign against Greece

Book 8 - Xerxes: Continuation of the campaigns against Greece

  • Campaign of Xerxes against Greece (Part II) (1–129)
  • Campaign of Mardonios (Part I) (130–144)
    • Armor of the Greeks at sea (130-132)
    • Negotiations of Mardonios with Athens (133-144)

Book 9 - Xerxes: Mardonios Campaign. Battle of Plataiai. Destruction of the Persian fleet

  • Campaign of Mardonios (Part II) (1-98)
  • Destruction of the Persian fleet and liberation of Ionia (99–121)
    • Battle of Mykale (99-106)
    • Flight of the Persians (107-113)
    • Conquest of Sestos by the Greeks (114–121)
  • Characteristics of the Persians (122)

See also

expenditure

  • Herodotus: histories. Books I – IX. Edited and translated by Josef Feix . Bilingual edition Greek-German in two volumes. Tusculum series. Artemis & Winkler / Patmos Verlag, Düsseldorf 2001.
  • Herodotus: histories . Newly translated, edited and explained by Heinz-Günther Nesselrath . Kröner, Stuttgart 2017, ISBN 978-3-520-22405-7 .

Web links

Wikisource: Herodotus  - Sources and full texts
Wikisource: Herodotus in Greek  - sources and full texts