The greco persian war is one of those events ingrained into the western worlds mind. May 19, 2014 herodotus set out to explore the causes of the greco persian wars and to explore the inability of east and west to live together. Creation by gore vidal presents a rare persian perspective of these. It is in part a gripping and much revered tale of colossal confrontation between freedomloving greekspeaking peoples the athenians, spartans, and others and the seemingly unstoppable forces of the persians. During these wars there was the battle of marathon where the first worldrecord marathon time was supposedly set. Apr 17, 2019 herodotus is the father of history andaccording to somealso the father of lies. The greco persian wars also often called the persian wars were a series of conflicts between the achaemenid empire of persia and citystates of the hellenic world that started in 499 bc and lasted until 449 bc. Herodotus was able to write this account of the greco persian wars by traveling throughout greece and asia minor.
Explicitly, the histories deal with the persian wars, the greeks double defeat of the formidable. Herodotus, who has been called the father of history, 6 was born in 484 bc in halicarnassus, asia minor then part of the persian empire. Herodotus and the persian wars utah state university. The bactrians and caspians, arrayed as their footsoldiers. Herodotus covers the empires geography, social structure, and history before describing the events which led to xerxes invasion of greece and the greek citystates uniting to defeat his army. The long and bitter struggle between the great persian empire and the fledgling greek states reached its high point with the extraordinary greek victory at salamis in 480 b. Book 7 polymnia xerxes, having so spoken, held his peace. The histories, which is the oldest history book in western civilization, was completed around 425 b. Mar 05, 2010 some estimate persian forces of 20,000 and, at best, the greeks had half as many men. The histories of herodotus is considered one of the seminal works of history in western literature.
Gates of fire by steven pressman is a historical novel about the battle of thermopylae. Herodotus spent his entire life working on just one project. I am not sure how easy it is for a person who knows nothing of the conflict since the author sometimes references events that has not happen. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Grecopersian wars complete ancient history see u in. The modern library edition of rawlinsons text, published under the title of the persian wars by herodotus, 1942, included paragraph indexing. The persians returned ten years later, and drank the rivers dry with the largest army ever seen. The collision between the fractious political world of the greeks and the enormous empire of the persians began when cyrus the great conquered ionia in 547 bc.
Herodotus puts the persian deaths at 6400, which is probably not accurate, and the athenian losses at 192, which actually is accurate. Herodotus and the persian wars book also available for read online, mobi, docx and mobile and kindle reading. Battles of the greco persian wars download ebook pdf. The persian war translations from greek and roman authors 9780946535811. Download herodotus and the persian wars in pdf and epub formats for free. He is known for having written the book the histories greek. Click download or read online button to get the greco persian wars book now. The greeks, on the other hand, fought because they had a personal stake in victory. Grecopersian wars definition, summary, facts, effects. Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. He remains the leading source of original information not only for greek history between 550 and 479 bce but also for much of that of western asia and of egypt at that time.
The grecopersian war is one of those events ingrained into the western worlds mind. It includes the rise of the persian power and an account of the persian empire. It effectively addresses the mainland and naval battles, as well as the contributions of the main characters. This is as much a world geography and ethnic history as anything else, and herodotus enumerates social, religious and cultural habits of the vast known world, right down to the three mummification options available. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts. By some distance, the main source for the greco persian wars is the greek historian herodotus. Battles of the greco persian wars download ebook pdf, epub. Herodotus account of the greco persian wars was the only book he ever wrote. The main source for the grecopersian wars is the greek historian herodotus. Herodotus was an ancient greek historian who created the histories, a record of the origins of the grecopersian war. Herodotus broke from the then tradition to treat history as one of investigation of facts and evidence. The histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. Hellenizing egypt from aeschylus to alexander u of california p, 2001 and a coeditor, with george boysstones and barbara graziosi, of the oxford handbook of hellenic stud ies.
The grecopersian wars by peter green nook book ebook. Croesuss defeat by cyrus ii of persia, and how he later became cyruss advisor 1. It was also herodotus attempt to try explain the conflict by exploring the. Some estimate persian forces of 20,000 and, at best, the greeks had half as many men. Herodotus the great greek historian was born about 484 bce, at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. Published in 1989, goulds book is widely acclaimed by scholars in the field.
The long and bitter struggle between the great persian empire and the fledgling greek states reached its high. Deioces, phraortes, cyaxares, astyages, cyrus ii of persia 1. It is a chronological political history of the grecopersian wars. Herodotus, who has been called the father of history, was born in 484 bc in halicarnassus, asia minor then under persian overlordship. As a discipline, history begins with herodotus histories, the first known systematic investigation of the. Herodotus is the father of history andaccording to somealso the father of lies. Herodotus, greek author of the first great narrative history produced in the ancient world, the history of the grecopersian wars. The grecopersian wars audiobook by captivating history. In part, the histories was a straightforward account of the wars. Explicitly, the histories deal with the persian wars, the greeks double defeat of the formidable forces led against them by the persian kings darius and xerxes, but herodotus work includes. It starts with the creation of the persian empire and ends with the hints of an athenian empire. Jul 23, 1970 the first book of my summer reading on the greco persian wars and it was a great introduction.
As a discipline, history begins with herodotus histories, the first known systematic investigation of the past. Herodotus and the grecopersian wars phiroze vasunia phiroze vasunia is reader in classics at the university of reading. Herodotus histories and its reliability the johns hopkins. Herodotus, the histories, and the grecopersian wars. Herodotus portrays the conflict as one between the forces of slavery the persians on the one hand, and freedom. Herodotus and the persian wars herodotus methodology he was an oral historian he talked to people about what they remembered in the past or what their elders had told them then he collected the stories often uncritical of conflicting accounts little attempt to. Hellenizing egypt from aeschylus to alexander u of california p, 2001 and a coeditor, with george boysstones and barbara graziosi, of the oxford handbook of hellenic stud ies oxford up, 2009. Grecopersian wars this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. A really concise book on grecopersian wars this is a good and concise summary of the greek and persian wars. There was also the battle of thermopylae which is the basis of the extremely historically accurate 2006 movie 300. The grecopersian wars peter green this is a reissue, with a new introduction and an update to the bibliography, of the original edition, published in 1970 as the year of salamis in england and as xerxes at salamis in the u. Herodotus was able to write this account of the grecopersian wars by traveling throughout greece and asia minor. The persian wars, volume i herodotus harvard university press. Click download or read online button to get battles of the greco persian wars book now.
Herodotus and the persian wars herodotus methodology he was an oral historian he talked to people about what they remembered in the past or what their elders had told them then he collected the stories often uncritical of conflicting accounts little attempt to sift fact from fiction only clear theme. Herodotus takes the reader from the rise of the persian empire to its crusade against greek independence, and. It is a chronological political history of the greco persian wars. To read the history herodotus only book is to seek ones roots as a member of western democratic civilization. These were added to the internet ascii source, along with html links, to aid in cross referencing the text. In herodotus s account, xerxes soldiers are driven forward to fight under the lash. The histories also stands as one of the earliest accounts of the rise of the persian empire, as well as the events and causes of the greco persian wars between the persian empire and the greek citystates in the 5th century bc. He travelled widely in most of asia minor, egypt as far as assuan, north africa, syria, the country north of the black sea, and many parts of the aegean sea and the mainland of greece.
It is worthwhile listening for the history enthusiast. A contemporary of thucydides, socrates, and euripides he is often called the father of history, initially by no less than cicero. Herodotus puts the persian deaths at 6400, which is probably not accurate, and the athenian losses at. The author does go over the famous battles of plataea and salamis as well as a few other smaller battles. Gould begins by giving a basic understanding of herodotus as a writer and a historian. Written from the 450s to the 420s bc in the ionic dialect of classical greek, the histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known around the mediterranean and western asia at that time. May 08, 2020 greco persian wars, a series of wars fought by greek states and persia from 492 to 449 bce.
Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. Herodotus, the great greek historian, was born about 484 bce at halicarnassus in caria, asia minor, when it was subject to the persians. The greek and persian wars 499386 bc essential histories, band 36. John lewis ocon conference, july, 2006 in 490 bc some 30,000 persians landed on the beach at marathon, and the greeks drove them back. Herodotus was a greek historian who was born in the 5th century bc in what is now modernday bodrum in turkey then part of the vast persian empire. Free download of the ebook on pdf, epub and mobi formats for all devices. The histories by herodotus of halicarnassus is the historical main source on the grecopersian wars.
Although the persian empire was at the peak of its strength, the collective defense mounted by the greeks overcame seemingly impossible odds and even succeeded in liberating greek citystates on the fringe of persia itself. After personal inquiry and study of hearsay and other evidence, herodotus born c. Life of themistokles diodorus of sicily diodorus sikulus histories books 1112 aristotle constitution of the athenians. Herodotus and the greco persian wars phiroze vasunia phiroze vasunia is reader in classics at the university of reading. Most scholars consider herodotus to be the father of.
1401 951 759 878 1258 1171 172 1334 19 731 836 772 744 343 267 1363 1525 712 403 1367 416 1458 1586 1485 1428 114 110 1362 1393 903 1087 262 310 1105 378 893 1041 155 1353 643 918 528 1266 750 60 817