Herodotus and Thucydides are often seen as the two foundational historians of ancient Greece, and their differing approaches to the writing of history have been the subject of much scholarly debate. Their works provide valuable insights into the events of their time, but they represent two distinct methods of historical inquiry. Professor Paul Cartledge attributes his profession to Herodotus and draws a direct line through time – of course, as a professor of ancient Greece, and one of the best in the world, it makes sense.
Herodotus (c. 484–c. 425 BCE), is known as the ‘Father of History’ and is the author of Histories, a lengthy tome that covers the Greco-Persian Wars, particularly focusing on the conflict between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states (at least 30 of them). He was the first historian to use sources, and his approach to history is often more narrative-driven and anecdotal. He is interested in telling the story of human events and the causes behind them, often mixing historical facts with myths, legends, and folklore. This was common at the time of writing and was really the main difference between his approach and that of Thucydides. Herodotus is open about the challenges of gathering information and often presents multiple perspectives on events, even if these accounts are contradictory. His use of storytelling and his occasional inclusion of unreliable or mythological sources are some of the key points that critics focus on when comparing him to Thucydides.
Thucydides (c. 460–c. 400 BCE), on the other hand, is often regarded as the first historian to approach history in a more analytical and scientific manner. Some call him the ‘Father of Scientific History’, and also he is called the ‘Father of the School of Political Realism’. An intellectually promiscuous man, his work the, History of the Peloponnesian War, chronicles the conflict between Athens and Sparta, two of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece, over a span of nearly three decades. Thucydides’ style is much more focused on human agency, rationality, and the causes and effects of specific actions. He does not rely on divine intervention or the fantastical elements that Herodotus included in his writings. Instead, Thucydides emphasises the role of politics, power struggles, human nature, and strategic decision-making in shaping historical events. However scathing he might be of previous methods of writing; Thucydides never directly references Herodotus.
Thucydides is, in one sense, critical of former historians and in another sense, critical of the sources he used – and is known for questioning the reliability of accounts. From there he condensed his evidence into a single version of what came to be his historical truth. His writing is direct, factual, and often highly detailed, making his work an early example of what would become a more modern, objective approach to history. Yet despite this, having come after Homer, he also had an emotional or somewhat personal ambition – that was to write a larger history than that of the Trojan War. In the study of history, it stands to reason, that only those that come after can ‘attack’, those who came before, but even if this was the case, Thucydides’ work was built on that of Herodotus, and Homer.
The “war” between Herodotus and Thucydides is a reflection of the philosophical differences in how they approached the writing of history. Herodotus‘ more anecdotal, expansive, and sometimes less critical style contrasts with Thucydides‘ rigorous, evidence-based, and politically focused approach. Herodotus claimed that he was the medium through which to provide the accounts of his sources, blending narrative, and myth with a certain storytelling flair. In many ways, Thucydides‘ work marks a shift from the older tradition of historical storytelling to a more systematic and empirical study of the past.
Scholars often debate which historian is ‘better’, which maybe is more a matter of taste, and Herodotus is celebrated for his broad cultural understanding and for being one of the first to attempt to provide a comprehensive narrative of the known world. While Thucydides is praised for his sophisticated analysis of political and military events, and for offering a model of history that continues to influence political scientists, realists, and historians to this day.
Your War Diarists,
Tony & Max
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