Authority and Tradition in Ancient Historiography (Cambridge Classical Classics) - Softcover

Marincola

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1009478338 ISBN 13: 9781009478335

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2025

Synopsis

How did Greek and Roman historians claim the authority to narrate the deeds embraced by their histories? In this acclaimed and influential book, John Marincola examines all aspects of their self-presentation, surveying the entire field from Herodotus (fifth century BCE) to Ammianus Marcellinus (fourth century CE). He shows how each historian claimed veracity by imitating, modifying, and manipulating the traditions established by his predecessors. After discussing the tension between individuality and imitation, he analyses the recurring style used to establish the historian's authority: how he came to write history; the qualifications brought to the task; the inquiries and efforts he made in his research; and his claims to possess a reliable character. By showing how each historian used the tradition to claim and maintain his own authority, the book – now including a substantial new Introduction – helps us better understand the complex nature of ancient historiography.

About this title

About the Author

JOHN MARINCOLA is Leon Golden Professor Emeritus of Classics at Florida State University. He has held fellowships at Munich, Edinburgh, Oxford, and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton. He is the author of numerous books, which include Greek Historians (2001), Greek and Roman Historiography (2011), and On Writing History from Herodotus to Herodian (2017).

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009478338
• ISBN 13: 9781009478335
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 412