In classical antiquity, two great traditions had dominance in the art of history: Greek and Christian. This paper will discuss three primary topics in regard to each tradition's historiography, namely, what history is, what sources they used and by what method they are analyzed, and what is the relevance of studying history. Each topic will be explained for each tradition and a comparison between the traditions will follow per topic. As a whole, it will be demonstrated that the Greek and Christian historians differed in their presuppositions taken to the historical records, and this is what caused their superficial differences. For early Greek historians, history was the chronological account of past events. Both Herodotus and Thucydides endeavored to described these events by explaining the human actions behind them through natural means, not divine means. As stated, Herodotus viewed events as chronologically successive. In other words, events happened one after the other with causal relations between them. Moreover, Thucydides …show more content…
History served the purpose of demonstrating God's dealings with humanity, verified kingships, and was a source of truth about God and religious dogma. The study of history, then, took on a meaning that was relevant to the people who studied it, despite the fact that the students of it were not remotely close to the time period the events they studied took place. This is the case since divinely authorized kings would affect how persons viewed their current political situation, and it showed them that trials that they faced were not very different from other trials that took place due to the hand of God. Therefore, the relevance of history to the Christian was not merely a look into the past, but also a look into why the present is as it is and what the moral standing of the people are as a
Herodotus was the first Greek to look at the big picture. He differed from famous authors such as Homer and other authors, with texts of legends and mythology. Herodotus describes human causes for circumstances and events, rather than labeling them as divine ones, which authors at that time arguably focused their writings. When Herodotus describes divinity, he relies on the human approach by relying on the knowledge of other cultures. His cultural interests vary in philosophy, anthropology and religion. The three being the primary source material for his body of work. When he places this particular information into his book, labeled ‘The Enquiries,’ or Historia, translated this means inquiry and investigation over the subject matter, not necessarily
During the inception of Christianity, the Greco-Roman world was a Hellenistic culture. The Jewish land within Palestine had been conquered by Alexander the Great during an undefeated military campaign. This military campaign created a large empire, which encompassed areas from Greece to India. Alexander the Great largely impacted his conquests throughout his invasions, heavily saturating them with the Greek culture. Through this spread of Greek culture, Hellenism was born.
There are many similarities and differences between Greco- Roman and Judeo christian views of laws and faith, and duties to the individual. Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BCE and continued throughout the Hellenistic period in which Ancient Greece was part of Empire. It dealt with a wide variety of subjects including political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics ontology, logic, biology, art, rhetorics, and aesthetics. Judeo- christian is a term used by Christian and some jews since 1950s to encompass common beliefs of christianity and judaism. It became part of American Civil Religion.
In reading a Little History of the World by E.H. Gombrich you realize that history seems so much less complicated when you are the one standing back and reflecting on the past. You realize how easy it is to often forget that every single new idea, religion and war was a struggle that lasted generations upon generations. History is more than just a page or a story, its our account of the world. That goes to show how short life and history is, you realize that history is always repeating, war after war, peace then war. There are good and bad periods in history and its up to us to learn from them. In a way history is much like a human being it goes through stages, learns about life, and has inner struggles or wars about their ideas and their beliefs.
The history of the Greece can be traced back to the Stone Age. There were only a few historians in the time of Ancient Greece. Three major ancient historians were able to record their time of Ancient Greek history, which includes Herodotus, known as the “Father
In Roman religion, it was crucial “to serve the gods and ensure goodwill” (The Roman Republic). The English word “Religion” comes from the Latin word “Religio” (Overview of Religion). Latin was the ancient language of Rome, but for the Roman’s the translation meant something very different from what we understand it as today. To the Romans, “Religio” translated to “ the fear of gods” (Overview of Religion). Romans invested much of their time serving the gods, performing rituals and sacrifices in honor of them. On the contrary, Greek religion did not prefer to execute rituals as much as the Romans. Greeks were more lenient when honoring the gods. They did not have a theological dogma: belief or principle. There was no specific way in which the religion was executed. The Greeks many gods had different purposes and works they performed. They relied more on the verbal spread of the religion rather than having a written form. Although different, both religions had forms of praising and honoring their gods. Greek and Roman religion have many differences and similarities that impacted each group of people.
In the text Black Athena by Martin Bernal, Bernal provides a contemporary and interesting perspective in relation to the discussion and examination of Ancient Greece’s development as a society as well as a culture. Throughout Black Athena, Bernal discusses the Ancient Model and Aryan Model, which are the two models that have been constructed and utilized to assist historians in understanding the reality and truth of how Ancient Greece developed to the society and culture it has become (Bernal, 1). Bernal specifies the clear distinctions when he discussing how both models have influence modern historians’ and their perceptions towards Ancient Greece; furthermore, he discusses how Ancient Greece has been examined and interpreted through the utilization of the Aryan model, which is viewing Ancient Greece as being influenced by Europeans (Bernal, 1). However, Bernal holds a completely different viewpoint on how Ancient Greece grew into the civilization it is. Through the examination of the linguistic and cultural similarities, Bernal argues the invasions by the Egyptians and the Phoenicians laid out the foundation for the development of Ancient Greek civilization and culture (Bernal, 2). In other words, he emphasizes how Ancient Greece’s development should be examine through what he calls the “Revised Ancient Model” (Bernal, 2), as he makes it evident that this model effectively shows the true and “complex reality” (Bernal, 3) of Ancient Greece.
History is such a significant thing in the United Sates, and to our counterparts all over around the world. It has many purposes that help advance us, and it creates a source to learn from what was successful and what was unsuccessful. History in simpler terms is a preservation of thought during a certain period of time, documented by a person. This is why, we have to think about how history has currently been documented and written. Often the source of our history comes from a person on one side, which usually is the more privileged side.
Throughout the history of Christianity, there have been many different ideas on how a Christian should interact with the world in which they lived. From the biblical writings of The Gospel according to Matthew, and The Acts of the Apostles, to the non-biblical writings of On Philosophy, and The Prescription Against Heretics, the ideas of Christianity were brought together. The two non-biblical documents highlight the arguments of whether or not Christians should study Greek philosophy. The books from The Bible showed that Christian beliefs focused on how one should primarily seek their ultimate reward or satisfaction in the Kingdom of God (spiritual), rather than in the here and now (temporal). Christianity, as it began, was a faith that emphasized the importance of acting charitable towards the less fortunate, while understanding that it was ones duty to worship God and spread that love for Him to those who didn’t believe.
Mankind is destroyed. Few humans are left. The earth was flooded and all perished, save for the righteous. The world was judged and found wicked, and so it was drowned. A new start is to be made.
Herodotus, known as the "Father of History", was born in 484 BC in Halicarnassus, Asia Minor, which at that time was under Persian occupation. He wrote the play "Histories" around 440-430 BC, trying to discover the real causes of Greco-Persian wars, which ended in 450 BC The method of Herodotus a novelty and
Thucydides' Historical Technique Thucydides has often been described as one of the fathers of history, and possibly the first historian that can be used with any real historical accuracy. His objectivity and lack of digressive storytelling mark him out from previous historians such as Herodotus, and Thucydides began a new era of historical writing. Although named the father of history, Herodotus wrote in a literary style, rather than the accurate telling of the facts and objective analysis that Thucydides offers us in his History of the Peloponnesian War. Herodotus tended to digress with irrelevant storytelling, whereas Thucydides abandoned this technique, and adopted a method that greatly
Since the Invention of the spoken language humans have told stories. Over hundreds of years, these stories were spread and changed. William Blake believed that all myths and religions started from the same place. That two completely unrelated sets of beliefs, like the Greeks and the Christians, could have many similarities. The two certainly have their differences but, also have a plethora of parallels.
The first part of this paper will explore the mystery-religions, the reasons behind their popularity, and the Hellenistic world in which they grew that began with Alexander the Great. Next, their characteristics and connections first with Judaism and later with Christianity will be more deeply discussed. In the second part it will be shown that the mystery-religions helped to clear the pathway for the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world by men such as Paul the Apostle. Finally, the Emperor Constantine’s role in this story will be mentioned, during whose reign the mystery-religions declined and Christianity became the major religion of Europe and the near east. The paper will conclude with a brief speculation about the significance of
History is the study of past events leading up to the present day. It is a research, a narrative, or an account of past events and developments that are commonly related to a person, an institution, or a place. It is a branch of knowledge that records and analyzes