Color Illustration Version 60 World Classics That Will Affect Middle School Students' Lives

Author: Yao Liping, Liu Lin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The History of the Greco-Persian Wars
Author Introduction: Herodotus (c. 484–425 BC), a renowned historian of ancient Greece, the founder of Western historiography, and respectfully known as the "Father of History." He was born in Halicarnassus, a prominent family in the coastal region of Asia Minor. His father was a wealthy slave owner, and his uncle was a famous poet in the local area. From a young age, Herodotus was diligent and passionate about epic poetry. Around 461 BC, during a civil war in Halicarnassus, his uncle was killed by the tyrant Lygdamis, and Herodotus' family was implicated, forcing them to move to the island of Samos and begin a long journey of travel. His travels took him east to Babylon, west to the southern tip of Italy, north to the coast of the Black Sea, and south to the southernmost part of Egypt. During this period, he investigated rumors and legends, paid homage to historical ruins, learned about local customs, and collected a wealth of materials, preparing for his later work, The Histories.
In 447 BC, he arrived in Athens, where he met Pericles and Sophocles, becoming part of Pericles' inner circle. Herodotus was deeply impressed by the heroic achievements of the Greek city-states in defeating the Persian invasion during the Greco-Persian Wars. Encouraged and supported by Pericles and his friends, he resolved to write a comprehensive history of the conflict. In 443 BC, he moved to Thurii in southern Italy and began to focus on writing The Histories. Unfortunately, The Histories was never completed, and Herodotus passed away in 425 BC.
Herodotus clearly distinguished between prehistoric and ancient history. His contributions to historiography were unparalleled in the ancient world, and his ability to synthesize information was beyond the reach of later generations. Besides writing The Histories, he also wrote The Story of the Assyrians, though it is now lost.
Content Summary: The Histories, often referred to as The History of the Greco-Persian Wars, is divided into nine books and can be broadly divided into two parts. The first part is an introduction, which narrates the history, geography, customs, and traditions of the Scythians along the northern coast of the Black Sea, the Greek city-states, and the Persian Empire, leading into the origins of the conflict between the East and the West and setting the historical backdrop for the Greco-Persian Wars. The second part is the main section, focusing on the course and outcome of the Greco-Persian Wars, from the Ionian Revolt against Persian rule in Asia Minor in 549 BC to the Greek occupation of the city of Sestos in Thrace in 478 BC. Later, Alexandrian commentators divided the work into nine books, naming each after the nine Muses of ancient Greek mythology, which is why the book is sometimes called The Book of the Muses.
The first book primarily describes the rise of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, his conquest of Media, the Greek city-states in Asia Minor, and the Neo-Babylonian Kingdom, until his eventual death in Central Asia. It also provides detailed accounts of the history, geography, inhabitants, and customs of Asia Minor, Babylonia, Media, Persia, and Western Asia. Additionally, it mentions the state of Athens and Sparta at the time.
The second book focuses on Egypt, detailing its historical rise and fall, political and economic development, cultural achievements, and famous landmarks such as the pyramids.
The third book narrates Cambyses' conquest of Egypt, the brief rule of the pseudo-Smerdis (Gaumata), and Darius' domestic and foreign policies after seizing power. This book also introduces the concept that one of the advantages of democratic governance is "equality before the law."
The fourth book describes Darius' conquest of Babylon, his personal campaign against the Scythians, which ended in a disastrous defeat, and his subsequent conquest of Thrace and Libya (North Africa). It also provides insights into the Scythians and the customs of Libya.
The fifth book primarily covers the campaigns of Megabazus, Darius' general, who occupied Thrace and the Ionian city-states of Miletus and others between 499 and 494 BC.
The sixth book continues to describe the massive Persian land and naval campaigns against Miletus and the Ionians. It mainly depicts Darius' invasion of Greece and the Battle of Marathon.
The seventh book focuses on the second Greco-Persian War, narrating the Persian king Xerxes' invasion of Greece and the fierce battle at Thermopylae against the Greeks.
The eighth book describes the Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis.
The ninth book covers the Greek victories in the battle of Plataea and the naval battle at the Battle of Mycale.
The Histories is rich in content, vividly depicting the geography, ethnic distribution, economic life, political systems, historical events, customs, religious beliefs, and famous landmarks of Western Asia, North Africa, and Greece, making it akin to a small "encyclopedia" of ancient society. The book not only focuses on the historical facts of the Greco-Persian Wars but also expands its scope to include the world as known to the Greeks at the time.
Brief Review: The Histories is the first world history with a global perspective and the first history written in a narrative style. It has a broad scope, with the Greco-Persian Wars as its central theme, but in reality, it covers the entire history known to the Greeks at the time. The narrative is skillful and engaging. The book is structured around the Greco-Persian Wars, interspersed with detailed plots and compelling stories. It is supported by abundant historical materials, including political, economic, legal documents, myths, legends, and religious texts, as well as archaeological findings, contemporary accounts, and various ethnological, anthropological, agricultural, medical, and geological data. Herodotus established a narrative style centered on historical facts, which became the standard for later European historical writing.
Reviews by Renowned Scholars:
- Herodotus accepted historical sources without critical evaluation. — Thucydides
- Herodotus is the great "Father of History." — Cicero of Rome
Reading Guide: As the title suggests, when reading this book, focus on the Greco-Persian Wars as the main thread. As the war progresses, you will encounter related content, such as the geographical environment, ethnic distribution, economic life, political systems, historical events, customs, religious beliefs, and famous landmarks of Western Asia, North Africa, and Greece. The reading becomes clearer and the knowledge structure more organized with this approach.