The Greek Historians - Softcover

Luce, T. J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415105935 ISBN 13: 9780415105934

Publisher: Routledge, 1997

Synopsis

The Greeks invented history as a literary genre in the fifth century B.C. The first historians owed much to Homer and adopted his vivid and direct style in narrating historical events. Yet, despite the influence of Homer the birth of history was basically a reaction against mythical accounts of the past. Homer wrote about war and travel in foreign lands, in the distant and mythical past. In contrast, the Greek historians of the fifth century wrote about contemporary or very recent events, where eye witnesses could be interviewed and facts checked. The Greek Historians follows the development of history from Herodotus, via Thucydides, Xenophon and Polybius, until the Hellenistic age. It introduces the individual writers and their topics, yet it also outlines their attitudes to historiography and their criticisms of each other. Such themes as the uses and value of truth and causation are traced, as well as the growing constraints on free speech under Hellenistic monarchs and the Romans. Written in an accessible and captivating manner, with suggestions for further reading, this book serves as a lucid introduction to Greek historians and writing of history.

About this title

About the Author:

T. James Luce teaches at Princeton University.

Review:

It is a fresh approach meant for college freshmen, that is most readable. The writing is captivating and most accessible, with references for further reading. This excellent survey of the ancient Greek historians and their writing of history serves the reader, academic or general, admirably.
–Religious Studies Review

Luce has skillfully summarized the contributions of earlier scholars, while at the same time giving the reader the benefit of his own impressive grasp of the subject...Specialists will recognize Luce's own contributions most of all in the first chapter of the work treating the development of history as a distinct literary genre, and also in his interesting take on Thucydides' status as a scientific historian..

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0415105935
• ISBN 13: 9780415105934
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168