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Reading Herodotus

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Ancient History

The Olympias is a modern reconstruction of an ancient Greek trireme, the state-of-the-art warship in the classical period. The trireme had sails, but they weren't used in battle. The ship was propelled by 170 oarsmen, who sat in three tiers on either side of the vessel in very tight, uncomfortable conditions. Athens had a fleet of 200 triremes in 480, when the Persians invaded under Xerxes. Greek History, Roman History, Ancient History, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Greco Persian Wars, Vikings, Greece Honeymoon, Greek Pantheon

Ancient History

Greco Persian Wars

Greece Honeymoon

The Olympias is a modern reconstruction of an ancient Greek trireme, the state-of-the-art warship in the classical period. The trireme had sails, but they weren't used in battle. The ship was propelled by 170 oarsmen, who sat in three tiers on either side of the vessel in very tight, uncomfortable conditions. Athens had a fleet of 200 triremes in 480, when the Persians invaded under Xerxes.

Themistocles was the architect of Athens' navy. He convinced the Athenians to build a serious fleet in 483 B.C. when they had a surplus of funds. Their fleet, in turn, helped save Greece when the Persians invaded in 480. Indeed, Greece would almost certainly have been defeated w/o Athens, which means that classical Athens as we know it--the radical democracy, art, philosophy and literature, the buildings of the Acropolis--would not have happened. Ap World History, Ancient Greek Art, Classical Athens, Grece Antique

Ap World History

Ancient Greek Art

Classical Athens

Themistocles was the architect of Athens' navy. He convinced the Athenians to build a serious fleet in 483 B.C. when they had a surplus of funds. Their fleet, in turn, helped save Greece when the Persians invaded in 480. Indeed, Greece would almost certainly have been defeated w/o Athens, which means that classical Athens as we know it--the radical democracy, art, philosophy and literature, the buildings of the Acropolis--would not have happened.

An inscription on the main post office building in New York City reads: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." This unofficial motto of the USPS in fact comes from Herodotus' description of the Pony Express-like courier service employed in Persia. Herodotus mentions it at 8.98, when describing how the news of the Persians' defeat at Salamis made its way back to the Persian capital at Susa. Pony Express, Mycenaean, Susa, Courier Service, Stay The Night, Unofficial, Office Building, Post Office, Tour Guide

Courier Service

Office Building

An inscription on the main post office building in New York City reads: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." This unofficial motto of the USPS in fact comes from Herodotus' description of the Pony Express-like courier service employed in Persia. Herodotus mentions it at 8.98, when describing how the news of the Persians' defeat at Salamis made its way back to the Persian capital at Susa.

In his anonymously published work 1601, Mark Twain refers to a story Herodotus tells at 2.162 about the Egyptian revolutionary Amasis, whose flatulence was, as Twain puts it, "the precursor to the fall of an empire." Jane Austen, John Keats, Baudelaire, Samuel Beckett, Elizabeth Von Arnim, Elizabeth Stanton, Robert Ford, Henry Ford, K Dick

Elizabeth Von Arnim

Elizabeth Stanton

In his anonymously published work 1601, Mark Twain refers to a story Herodotus tells at 2.162 about the Egyptian revolutionary Amasis, whose flatulence was, as Twain puts it, "the precursor to the fall of an empire."

The Johns Hopkins Press sent me covers of the book: the background is richer than it looks on Amazon, and the texture is velvety! Hamel, Johns Hopkins University, Wild Boar, The Book, Tours, Dance, Texture, Amazon

Johns Hopkins University

The Johns Hopkins Press sent me covers of the book: the background is richer than it looks on Amazon, and the texture is velvety!

Debra Hamel

Reading Herodotus

Molon Labe! The Ancient Greek phrase μολὼν λαβέ; Modern Greek pronunciation [moˈlon laˈve]) means "Come and take them". It is a classical expression of defiance reportedly spoken by King Leonidas I in response to the Persian army's demand that the Spartans surrender their weapons at the Battle of Thermopylae. It is an exemplary use of a laconic phrase. Molon Labe Tattoo, Greek Phrases, Greek Sayings, Alfabeto Graffiti, Spartan Tattoo, Famous Phrases, Come And Take It, Libertarian

Molon Labe Tattoo

Alfabeto Graffiti

Come And Take It

Molon Labe! The Ancient Greek phrase μολὼν λαβέ; Modern Greek pronunciation [moˈlon laˈve]) means "Come and take them". It is a classical expression of defiance reportedly spoken by King Leonidas I in response to the Persian army's demand that the Spartans surrender their weapons at the Battle of Thermopylae. It is an exemplary use of a laconic phrase.

Tennessee Williams' first published fiction was a short story entitled "The Vengeance of Nitocris," which he wrote when he was sixteen. It was based on Herodotus' brief mention at 2.100 of Queen Nitocris of Egypt, who devised an elaborate scheme to avenge the murder of her brother. Enneagram 4, Tennessee Williams, Truman, Playwright, Her Brother, Screenwriting, Historian, Carson, Short Stories

Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams' first published fiction was a short story entitled "The Vengeance of Nitocris," which he wrote when he was sixteen. It was based on Herodotus' brief mention at 2.100 of Queen Nitocris of Egypt, who devised an elaborate scheme to avenge the murder of her brother.

This plaque at Thermopylae is inscribed with the beautiful epitaph written by Simonides of Ceos to commemorate the Spartan dead: "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie." Ancient Art, Greece Travel, Greece Trip, Greek Culture, Epitaph, Minoan, Spartans

This plaque at Thermopylae is inscribed with the beautiful epitaph written by Simonides of Ceos to commemorate the Spartan dead: "Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie."

This 14,000-odd-year-old human skull, found in Somerset, England, was allegedly used as a drinking cup. (I'm not sure how they know this.) The Scythians, who lived to the north of the Black Sea, likewise made skull cups--just one of the unpleasant things they did to their enemies. March For Science, Ancient Humans, Ancient Times, Cannibalism, Early Humans, Human Bones, Natural History Museum, Seven Wonders, Human Skull

March For Science

Natural History Museum

This 14,000-odd-year-old human skull, found in Somerset, England, was allegedly used as a drinking cup. (I'm not sure how they know this.) The Scythians, who lived to the north of the Black Sea, likewise made skull cups--just one of the unpleasant things they did to their enemies.

A map of Thermopylae, where the 300 Spartans under Leonidas, together with 1100 men from Boeotia (Thespians and Thebans), fought and died* trying to hold back Xerxes' army. Thermopylae, which means "hot gates," was named for its hot springs and the three constrictions, or "gates," that mark the passage. *Well, the Thebans surrendered. Ancient World Maps, Greece Map, Thebes, Creative Teaching, Prehistory, Historical Maps, Countries Of The World

Ancient World Maps

Creative Teaching

Historical Maps

Countries Of The World

A map of Thermopylae, where the 300 Spartans under Leonidas, together with 1100 men from Boeotia (Thespians and Thebans), fought and died* trying to hold back Xerxes' army. Thermopylae, which means "hot gates," was named for its hot springs and the three constrictions, or "gates," that mark the passage. *Well, the Thebans surrendered.

Oroetes, the satrap of Sardis, decided he wanted to kill Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, and he did. And then he had him impaled--not crucified, as he's depicted here. Impalement was an even nastier business than crucifixion, unless you were dead first. Polycrates was lucky in that respect, but there were plenty of people in Herodotus' History who weren't. Crucifixion of Polycrates. Francesco Fracanzano (attrib. to) | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Sardis, Museum Of Fine Arts, Ancient Greek, Respect, Boston, Masterpiece, Plenty

Museum Of Fine Arts

Oroetes, the satrap of Sardis, decided he wanted to kill Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, and he did. And then he had him impaled--not crucified, as he's depicted here. Impalement was an even nastier business than crucifixion, unless you were dead first. Polycrates was lucky in that respect, but there were plenty of people in Herodotus' History who weren't. Crucifixion of Polycrates. Francesco Fracanzano (attrib. to) | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Nothing against other translations, but I'm particularly fond of David Grene's. Apart from the style, it has one of the best, most helpful indexes I have ever come across in a book. New York Times, Xerxes I, Chicago, Drama, Nature Music, History Books, Great Books

Nothing against other translations, but I'm particularly fond of David Grene's. Apart from the style, it has one of the best, most helpful indexes I have ever come across in a book.

This red-figure amphora showing Croesus of Lydia seated on his funeral pyre is the one you see muted and tilted on the cover of my Reading Herodotus: A Guided Tour through the Wild Boars, Dancing Suitors, and Crazy Tyrants of The History. Greek Pottery, Ancient Pottery, Louvre Paris, Minoan Art, Alexandre Le Grand, Figure Painter

Ancient Pottery

Alexandre Le Grand

This red-figure amphora showing Croesus of Lydia seated on his funeral pyre is the one you see muted and tilted on the cover of my Reading Herodotus: A Guided Tour through the Wild Boars, Dancing Suitors, and Crazy Tyrants of The History.

Herodotus writes about Sisamnes at 5.25. He was caught taking a bribe and was executed by Cambyses, then flayed. His skin was used to cover a chair that his son was then required to sit on after he was given his father's position. Alter Orient, Robert Campin, Scary Paintings, Watercolor Paintings, Canvas Painting, Oil Painting, Canvas Art, Gerard David, Der Richter

Scary Paintings

Watercolor Paintings

Canvas Painting

Herodotus writes about Sisamnes at 5.25. He was caught taking a bribe and was executed by Cambyses, then flayed. His skin was used to cover a chair that his son was then required to sit on after he was given his father's position.

The Landmark translation of Herodotus is very handy to have on hand because it's chock full of maps. It also has more than 20 appendices written by leading scholars. Travel Fiction, Anchor Books, The English Patient, History Encyclopedia, Seventh Grade, Books

The English Patient

History Encyclopedia

The Landmark translation of Herodotus is very handy to have on hand because it's chock full of maps. It also has more than 20 appendices written by leading scholars.

Bring Them Home

My daughter drew this picture of Herodotus. I use it for my avatar on Twitter at @iHerodotus.

Herodotus reports that Egyptian women urinated standing up. The cartoon explains how he came to find that out. Egyptian Women, Funny Cartoons, Funny Photos, Memes, Hilarious, Language, Family Guy

Herodotus reports that Egyptian women urinated standing up. The cartoon explains how he came to find that out.

The cover of the book! It will be published in the fall of 2012 by The Johns Hopkins University Press. Background Information, Romp, More Fun, Book Worth Reading, Kindle

Background Information

Book Worth Reading

The cover of the book! It will be published in the fall of 2012 by The Johns Hopkins University Press.