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Epoch Times
06-05-2025
- Epoch Times
The Singing Historian: The Ancient Greek Herodotus
Some may know Herodotus of Halicarnassus as 'the world's first historian.' Fewer realize that the man credited with inventing history was a traveling bard and a gifted one. Although he didn't always stick to the facts, Herodotus (484 B.C.–425 B.C.) devoted his life to studying the past with care, reminding countless generations after him that history matters. Herodotus of Halicarnassus Halicarnassus, now called Bodrum, is in modern-day Turkey. When Herodotus was born, the Persian Empire controlled the Greek-speaking city. Herodotus's family was wealthy and influential, certainly more than the average Halicarnassian. He was related to the revered epic poet Panyassis, who in 454 B.C. led an uprising against Halicarnassus's despot. Though Herodotus lived almost 2,000 years before Bodrum Castle was built, the area was already inhabited by thousands, who called their thriving metropolis Halicarnassus. A Byzantine encyclopedia from the 10th century suggests that Herodotus returned home after several years of self-imposed exile, took over the uprising after Panyassis was executed, and overthrew the tyrant. It's the only account that portrays Herodotus as his city's liberator. It's more likely that he used the tyranny as a pretext to leave home and voyage across the Mediterranean. Herodotus was indeed well-traveled. He loved Egypt and visited it at least once on a diplomatic trip with Athenians who had helped Halicarnassus repel a Persian naval attack. He also visited Tyre, in modern-day Lebanon, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, and Babylon, home to the ancient King Hammurabi and source of one of the earliest written legal codes. As he traveled far and wide, Herodotus gathered thousands of stories. He heard s ome from locals, and some he witnessed. Although he eventually wrote down many of the stories he had heard, he first made them known through oral recitations. Like virtually every other civilization at this time, Greece was primarily an oral culture. , one of Athens' first democratic lawgivers, composed and performed poetry to advance his political platform. Even the first philosophers showcased their arguments about the nature of things in poems they often delivered publicly. Related Stories 4/18/2025 4/14/2025 The ancient Syrian writer tells of how Herodotus made frequent trips to Corinth, Sparta, Argos, and many other cities in the Greek peninsula to share his stories. His status in the cities that hosted him depended on his public performances. Herodotus needed to entertain. Speculation about the Nile's frequent floods probably wasn't as interesting as war, conquest, abduction, and other exciting themes. Much like a street performer today, Herodotus set up camp in public spaces and delivered extemporaneous speeches about his most exciting stories with enough charisma to gain a reputation around Greece. Solon was a renowned Athenian speaker in his day, as depicted in this 1907 illustration by Paul Woodroffe. Public Domain But Herodotus eventually grew tired of frequent travel. When he was 37, he settled in Athens. Around 440 B.C., the Athenian golden age was at its peak. Statesmen like Pericles were strengthening Athens' world-shaping democracy with radical reforms. Philosophers like Socrates were asking questions about virtue and the nature of reality that forever changed the West. All the while, Athens expanded its hegemony in the Mediterranean with a mighty fleet. Eager for fame, the traveling historian decided to make a grand appearance at the Olympic Games. According to Lucian, ' He waited for a packed audience to assemble, one containing the most eminent men from all Greece; he appeared in the temple chamber, presenting himself as a competitor for an Olympic honour, not as a spectator; then he recited his Histories and so bewitched his audience. ' His performance was so captivating that he became ' much better known than the Olympic victors themselves .' "Throwing the Discus," 1875, by Edouard-Joseph Dantan. Oil on canvas; 45 1/2 inches by 84 inches. Public Domain Was glory Herodotus's only reason for writing his ' '? If oral performances were enough to become famous, why write at all? Why Herodotus Wrote History The modern notion of history as a collection of information about the past was foreign to the 5th century B.C. People shared myths in temples, theaters, and markets. But ancient tales almost always featured divine characters or mythical figures like Hector and Achilles. Everyday people weren't part of history. Their mundane lives went largely unnoticed, unless they committed patricide, sacrilegious vandalism, or something equally outrageous. Herodotus was not a 'people's historian,' but he was more interested in life's mundane aspects than his predecessors and contemporaries. The 'Histories' opens with a statement of purpose: ' To prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time, and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable achievements produced by both Greeks and non-Greeks; among the matters covered is, in particular, the cause of the hostilities between Greeks and non-Greeks.' Famous ancient battles between the Greeks and Persians are memorialized in art and literature. 'The Heroes of Marathon,' 1911, by Georges Antoine Rochegrosse. Public Domain Reciting his accounts wasn't enough to ensure their survival. Herodotus wrote them down to prevent time from erasing 'the traces of human events.' While he wrote 'Histories,' Greek city states were fighting in coalitions against the Persian Empire, which wanted to colonize them. His main aim was to know the reasons behind these conflicts. Why did the Greeks and the Persians go to war? Who started the conflict, and how? Understanding the conditions that led to war might prevent them from arising again in the future. Although he was particularly attracted to exceptional generals and statesmen and once-in-a-lifetime accomplishments, he was also interested in writing about the working class, non-Greeks, women, and other underrepresented groups, moving back and forth between accounts of the past and descriptions of current customs and beliefs. The rationale was the same: to preserve as many interesting details about Greeks and non-Greeks as possible, so others could look to the past as a source of insight, caution, and inspiration. But how much could his accounts be trusted? Myths, Lies, and Propaganda? The Roman orator and statesman was the first to Herodotus as 'the father of history.' Cicero thought history was judged on ' the truth, while in poetry it is generally the pleasure one gives' that determines its value. Although he admired the historian's inventive style, Cicero acknowledged that his reports were full of 'fabulous tales.' Herodotus cared about the truth, but he also wanted to entertain his audiences. To do so, he happily sprinkled his reports with sensational details. Orpheus rescues his love Eurydice from Hades, but loses her a second time. 'Orpheus and Eurydice' by Gaetano Gandolfi. Public Domain His tales resemble other stories from Greek mythology, like Hercules's 12 feats and Orpheus's attempted rescue of . Herodotus speaks of the Argippaeans, a mysterious pacifist people ' who are said to be all bald from their birth (male and female alike),' and of a tribe of 'one-eyed men' who often battle 'griffins that guard gold.' He describes the legendary phoenix, known for its ability to come back to life from its own ashes, as a real creature, and mentions equally anomalous creatures without skepticism. These bizarre anecdotes would be most exciting for a live audience, but they're very likely untrue. Writing arou nd the time of Herodotus's death, the Greek comedian Aristophanes made fun of this peculiar blend of history and myth. His comed y ' ' tells of an Athenian citizen who tries to end war by declaring a private peace in his house. He blames the war on the abduction of three prostitutes. The tone is sarcastic, and the audience would've easily caught the reference to Herodotus. In the first of his nine books, Herodotus blamed a series of large-scale conflicts on the abduction of important women. This trope was popular in ancient Greece, but it was also absurd enough as an explanation of war for a shrewd playwright like Aristophanes to make Herodotus the butt of his joke. In addition to glamorous tales, Herodotus was also accused of showing partiality towards Athens. He portrayed the Athenians as the morally righteous champions of freedom and democracy and the Persians as the evil perpetrators of slavery and injustice, leaving little room for nuance. Title page of a 1533 translated copy of Herodotus's "Histories," at Yale University, New Haven, Conn. Public Domain It's an understandable bias, since Herodotus was directly affected by the Persians' war-mongering. But it undermines his credibility, especially when read alongside his preposterous tales. The Beauty of Facts and Fantasy Although historians today generally view Herodotus as a reliable source, they share Cicero and Aristophanes's suspicions. If Herodotus taught at a modern university, he'd probably be a creative writing professor or an instructor in theater and performance. He certainly wouldn't be in a history department. His historical method was quickly superseded by Thucydides, a younger contemporary who wrote the ' .' Thucydides was much less interested in myths and ordinary individuals. He thought history should focus on powerful men and their notable accomplishments. Yet Thucydides owed a great deal to Herodotus, who was one of the first people to study the past systematically, for the sake of the present and posterity. Propaganda comes from good storytelling , but so do awe and wonder. Although Herodotus didn't always stick to the facts, he devoted his life to learning about people, places, and events with exemplary care. His original combination of storytelling and factual reports makes the 'Histories' an intriguing and enjoyable text. It has reminded countless generations about the importance of understanding the origins of things, and the beauty of doing so with facts and fantasy. What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to
Al-Ahram Weekly
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
UN chief meets rival Cyprus leaders ahead of talks - International
UN chief Antonio Guterres met the rival Cypriot leaders for dinner on Monday ahead of informal talks aimed at finding a "way forward" on the divided island's future. Guterres sat down to dine in Geneva with President Nikos Christodoulides of the Greek-speaking, internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, a UN spokeswoman said. On Tuesday the three will meet for talks at the United Nations, alongside Britain, Greece and Turkey -- the three guarantors of the Mediterranean island's security since 1960. "This meeting is being held in the context of the secretary-general's good offices' efforts on the Cyprus issue," the UN spokeswoman told AFP. "The informal meeting will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward." All five convened delegations were at Monday's dinner, she said. Since a 1974 invasion by Turkey triggered by an Athens-backed coup, the island has been divided between the Greek-speaking south and the Turkish Cypriot north, which unilaterally declared independence in 1983 but is recognised only by Ankara. The Republic of Cyprus is an EU member state. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus covers about a third of island, including parts of the capital Nicosia. Decades of UN-backed talks have failed to reunify the island. Greek Cypriots in 2004 overwhelmingly rejected a UN-backed reunification plan in a referendum. The last round of full-on peace talks, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, collapsed in 2017. 'Absolute seriousness' In a televised address on Saturday, Christodoulides said he was heading to Geneva "with absolute seriousness and with the aim of conducting a substantive discussion that will pave the way for the resumption of negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus issue". "We are ready and well prepared to be constructive... to engage in meaningful discussions, and to achieve an outcome that will keep the process active," he said. Christodoulides held a national council meeting of Greek Cypriot political party leaders in Geneva on Monday. "There is consensus, a constructive spirit of unity, and a shared goal: to ensure that this multilateral conference serves as a springboard toward breaking the deadlock and restarting negotiations," Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters afterwards. "We are preparing for multiple scenarios, ensuring that in every case, the president has concrete initiatives and proposals." Nameplates set out Following the dinner, the talks proper are set to begin on Tuesday at the UN Palais des Nations. Nameplates had been set out, with Guterres on one side of the central table, opposite the two Cypriot leaders, who will sit next to each other. Flanking Guterres, nameplates were set out for Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and for Britain's Europe minister Stephen Doughty. In October last year, Guterres hosted an informal dinner with Christodoulides and Tatar in New York. The rival Cypriot leaders also met in January to discuss opening more crossing points across the divided island as part of trust-building efforts. They met in the buffer zone that has split the island for decades. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN chief meets rival Cyprus leaders ahead of talks
UN chief Antonio Guterres met the rival Cypriot leaders for dinner on Monday ahead of informal talks aimed at finding a "way forward" on the divided island's future. Guterres sat down to dine in Geneva with President Nikos Christodoulides of the Greek-speaking, internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, a UN spokeswoman said. On Tuesday the three will meet for talks at the United Nations, alongside Britain, Greece and Turkey -- the three guarantors of the Mediterranean island's security since 1960. "This meeting is being held in the context of the secretary-general's good offices' efforts on the Cyprus issue," the UN spokeswoman told AFP. "The informal meeting will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward." All five convened delegations were at Monday's dinner, she said. Since a 1974 invasion by Turkey triggered by an Athens-backed coup, the island has been divided between the Greek-speaking south and the Turkish Cypriot north, which unilaterally declared independence in 1983 but is recognised only by Ankara. The Republic of Cyprus is an EU member state. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus covers about a third of island, including parts of the capital Nicosia. Decades of UN-backed talks have failed to reunify the island. Greek Cypriots in 2004 overwhelmingly rejected a UN-backed reunification plan in a referendum. The last round of full-on peace talks, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, collapsed in 2017. - 'Absolute seriousness' - In a televised address on Saturday, Christodoulides said he was heading to Geneva "with absolute seriousness and with the aim of conducting a substantive discussion that will pave the way for the resumption of negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus issue". "We are ready and well prepared to be constructive... to engage in meaningful discussions, and to achieve an outcome that will keep the process active," he said. Christodoulides held a national council meeting of Greek Cypriot political party leaders in Geneva on Monday. "There is consensus, a constructive spirit of unity, and a shared goal: to ensure that this multilateral conference serves as a springboard toward breaking the deadlock and restarting negotiations," Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters afterwards. "We are preparing for multiple scenarios, ensuring that in every case, the president has concrete initiatives and proposals." - Nameplates set out - Following the dinner, the talks proper are set to begin on Tuesday at the UN Palais des Nations. Nameplates had been set out, with Guterres on one side of the central table, opposite the two Cypriot leaders, who will sit next to each other. Flanking Guterres, nameplates were set out for Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and for Britain's Europe minister Stephen Doughty. In October last year, Guterres hosted an informal dinner with Christodoulides and Tatar in New York. The rival Cypriot leaders also met in January to discuss opening more crossing points across the divided island as part of trust-building efforts. They met in the buffer zone that has split the island for decades. rjm-bur/giv
Arab News
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UN chief to meet rival Cyprus leaders
GENEVA: UN chief Antonio Guterres was to meet the rival Cypriot leaders for dinner on Monday ahead of informal talks aimed at finding a 'way forward' on the divided island's future. Guterres was to dine with President Nikos Christodoulides of the Greek-speaking, internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar in Geneva. On Tuesday the three will meet for talks at the United Nations, alongside Britain, Greece and Turkiye — the three guarantors of the Mediterranean island's security since 1960. 'This meeting is being held in the context of the secretary-general's good offices' efforts on the Cyprus issue,' a UN spokeswoman told AFP. 'The informal meeting will provide an opportunity for a meaningful discussion on the way forward.' Since a 1974 invasion by Turkiye triggered by an Athens-backed coup, the island has been divided between the Greek-speaking south and the Turkish Cypriot north, which unilaterally declared independence in 1983 but is recognized only by Ankara. The Republic of Cyprus is an EU member state. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus covers about a third of island, including parts of the capital Nicosia. Decades of UN-backed talks have failed to reunify the island. Greek Cypriots in 2004 overwhelmingly rejected a UN-backed reunification plan in a referendum. The last round of full-on peace talks, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, collapsed in 2017. Cyprus issue In a televised address on Saturday, Christodoulides said he was heading to Geneva 'with absolute seriousness and with the aim of conducting a substantive discussion that will pave the way for the resumption of negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus issue.' 'We are ready and well prepared to be constructive... to engage in meaningful discussions, and to achieve an outcome that will keep the process active,' he said. Christodoulides held a national council meeting of Greek Cypriot political party leaders in Geneva on Monday. 'There is consensus, a constructive spirit of unity, and a shared goal: to ensure that this multilateral conference serves as a springboard toward breaking the deadlock and restarting negotiations,' Cyprus government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis told reporters afterwards. 'We are preparing for multiple scenarios, ensuring that in every case, the president has concrete initiatives and proposals.' Meeting in buffer zone Following the dinner, the talks proper are set to begin on Tuesday at the UN Palais des Nations. Nameplates had been set out, with Guterres on one side of the central table, opposite the two Cypriot leaders, who will sit next to each other. Flanking Guterres, nameplates were set out for Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and for Britain's Europe minister Stephen Doughty. In October last year, Guterres hosted an informal dinner with Christodoulides and Tatar in New York. The rival Cypriot leaders also met in January to discuss opening more crossing points across the divided island as part of trust-building efforts. They met in the buffer zone that has split the island for decades.
Al Arabiya
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Cyprus proposes law for women to join armed forces
Cyprus's cabinet on Wednesday proposed legislation that would allow women to opt in to serving in the Cypriot army alongside their male conscript counterparts. National service of 14 months is obligatory for all men above the age of 18, unlike women who have been excluded from roles in the military. The draft bill requires parliamentary approval, but Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas told reporters after the cabinet session that women are expected to be recruited as early as October. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said the move 'strengthens the combat effectiveness of the National Guard, grants women the right to contribute equally to military service, promoting the notion that national security is a collective responsibility.' The army has around 12,000 active personnel, as well as over 50,000 reservists who are regularly called up for training. Since a 1974 invasion by Turkey triggered by an Athens-backed coup, Cyprus has been divided between the Greek-speaking south and the Turkish Cypriot north, which unilaterally declared independence in 1983 but is only recognized by Ankara. Cyprus has seen bolstering the Greek Cypriot National Guard as a priority, with authorities estimating 40,000 Turkish troops stationed on the north of the Mediterranean island.
