Greco-Roman History Writing Traditions
The tradition of history-writing was started in ancient Greece, and the first known author who used the term “history” was Herodotus. The works of Herodotus, who is regarded as the father of history, and his successors have been considered the measuring yardsticks for other historical works. And the features of their works are essential for understanding history-writing. Understanding the context of history-writing is important for readers as well as historians to know the circumstances and basis of historical work.
Also Read: Objectivity and Interpretation
Causation – Meaning and Analysis of Facts
The objectives of History-Writing
Historians have stated that the objective of history-writing is to preserve memories of the past, mainly important events. Most of the early history writings have been invariably dominated by warfare and battle. Historians have articulated their goals in their works. Herodotus said his objective was to preserve “what men have done” and prevent the great actions of Greeks and the barbarians from losing their share of glory, and put on record what the grounds of the feud were.
He eulogized the victory of the Greeks; at the same time, he also recognised the heroism of the Persians and the Spartans. He was concerned with providing a narrative that was full, interesting, and included ethnographic accounts that often bordered on the realm of fantasy. Thucydides also had the same perspective. He stated that he wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, believing that it would be a great war and more significant than any that had preceded it.
Defining and Drawing on Sources
Historians like Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, and Tacitus presented their first-hand observations as well as derived information from other sources like tradition, religious centres, chronicles, interviews, and documentary sources. Shrines, archives, and traditions were some of the important sources for these historians. For example, the shrine of Delphi, whose oracle was invariably consulted by rulers and statesmen before any major events. Herodotus recorded several of the predictions of the oracle.
Herodotus appears to have drawn on an Ionian tradition of storytelling, collecting and interpreting the oral histories he chanced upon in his travels. For example, he mentions a long conversation between Croesus, a king, and Solon, one of the founding fathers of the Athenian Constitution. Herodotus also evolved strategies to resolve situations when there are conflicting versions about a particular event. For example, on the history of the Persian ruler Cyrus, Herodotus found three other sources which were different from his narrative.
Writing Style
These historians were writing for an elite, literary audience, and every sentence was carefully crafted, keeping in mind the reader and the facts they were writing about. Herodotus employed a deceptively simple, narrative style, in which the original Greek was Ionian in dialect. Herodotus compiled everything in an entertaining style and format. Thucydides appears to be more self-conscious in his writing.
He assumed a tone of deliberate solemnity which was often combined with exemplary precision. For example, Thucydides’ graphic description of the plague that hit Athens during the second year of the war. His depiction of the war is clear and precise. Thucydides also incorporates speeches that are interesting and seductive. Livy’s descriptions of events are succinct. Tacitus’s writings are known for their dense and deep-cutting prose, seldom glossy.