Contrast Thuccydides and Herodotus

Thucydides: The Father of Scientific History

Thucydides, often called the "father of scientific history," really honed in on being objective. He was all about breaking down cause and effect in historical events. His famous work, "The History of the Peloponnesian War," dives deep into why Athens and Sparta went head-to-head. He was super thorough in documenting what key political figures said and gave detailed descriptions of military strategies and their outcomes. His focus on rational thinking and his decision to ignore supernatural reasons for events set a new standard for historians. Because of him, many scholars were inspired to look at history with a more critical eye.

Herodotus: The Grand Storyteller

Now, Herodotus had a different style altogether. His approach to history was way broader. He included cultural, social, and geographical elements in his stories. In "The Histories," he looked into how the Persian Wars started and how different ancient civilizations interacted with each other. Herodotus was fascinated by the customs and beliefs of various people, so much so that he traveled far and wide to get firsthand accounts and tales, which he then mixed into his narratives to give a fuller picture of historical happenings. Sure, he threw in quite a bit of myth and legend too, often pointing to the gods as movers behind certain events. Yet, he also acknowledged human actions played their part in shaping history.

The Clash of Views: Thucydides vs. Herodotus

Their main difference? It's got to be how they viewed divine intervention in history. Thucydides was all about rationalism—he thought you could explain historical events through human decisions and actions alone, not needing any supernatural stuff. On the flip side, Herodotus didn't shy away from including myths or legends and sometimes blamed gods for certain events or credited them with actions. Even with these differences, both guys made huge contributions to history as we know it today.

Their Legacy

Thucydides' insistence on objectivity inspired many future scholars to analyze history critically. Meanwhile, Herodotus introduced a broader view by weaving cultural and geographical factors into his work—an approach that's foundational for studying world history and understanding cross-cultural interactions.

Wrapping It Up

In the end, Thucydides and Herodotus showed two unique ways to write about history. Thucydides zeroed in on politics and war with a rationalist method that focused on cause-effect relationships. Herodotus took a wider angle, adding cultural details into his stories. Even though they were different, both left a big mark on how we study history today—and helped us understand ancient times better than before.

References

• Kagan, D. (2009). The Peloponnesian War. Penguin Books.
• Dewald, C., & Marincola, J. (Eds.). (2006). The Cambridge Companion to Herodotus. Cambridge University Press.
• Cartledge, P. (1997). The Greeks: A Portrait of Self & Others. Oxford University Press.
• Meyerhoff, H.K., (1950). 'The Philosophy of History.' In Essays in Metaphysics, Free Press.
• Pomeroy S.B., Burstein S.M., Donlan W., & Roberts J.T., (1999). A Brief History of Ancient Greece: Politics, Society, and Culture. Oxford University Press.