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Herodotus: The Father of History
Witness the "works and wonders" of the ancient world through the eyes of its first great historian in this sparkling series of 24 lectures from a much-honored teacher and classical scholar. Herodotus (c. 484-420 B.C.E.) was a Greek who was born in what is now the modern Turkish resort town of Bodrum and who died, so tradition says, in the south of Italy. In between, his tirelessly inquiring mind took him from one corner of the known world to another. And he reported on or visited all of its continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa) to write about the vast array of subjects that captured his interest. These included the "great works" of the ancient land of Egypt; the remarkable kings who built the vast Persian Empire; and the strange customs and unlikely origins of the Scythians, a warlike, mounted people who lived beyond the Danube and whose repulse of Darius and the Persians in 513 B.C.E. made them the first Europeans to throw back an eastern invasion. The book that emerged from these "
12 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2000
13 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Vandiver
34 books127 followersElizabeth Vandiver is Associate Professor of Classics and Clement Biddle Penrose Professor of Latin at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. She was formerly Director of the Honors Humanities program at the University of Maryland at College Park, where she also taught in the Department of Classics. She completed her undergraduate work at Shimer College and went on to earn her M.A. and Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin.
Prior to taking her position at Maryland, she held visiting professorships at Northwestern University, the University of Georgia, the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, Loyola University of New Orleans, and Utah State University.
Professor Vandiver is the author of Heroes in Herodotus: The Interaction of Myth and History. She has also written numerous articles and has delivered many papers at national and international conferences.
In 1998, The American Philological Association recognized her achievements as a lecturer with its Excellence in Teaching Award, the most prestigious teaching prize given to American classicists. Her other awards include the Northwestern University Department of Classics Excellence in Teaching Award and two University of Georgia Outstanding Honors Professor Awards.
Prior to taking her position at Maryland, she held visiting professorships at Northwestern University, the University of Georgia, the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, Loyola University of New Orleans, and Utah State University.
Professor Vandiver is the author of Heroes in Herodotus: The Interaction of Myth and History. She has also written numerous articles and has delivered many papers at national and international conferences.
In 1998, The American Philological Association recognized her achievements as a lecturer with its Excellence in Teaching Award, the most prestigious teaching prize given to American classicists. Her other awards include the Northwestern University Department of Classics Excellence in Teaching Award and two University of Georgia Outstanding Honors Professor Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 19, 2019
I recently finished listening (link to review) to an audio edition of Herodotus’ Histories in anticipation of my September 27, 2019 meeting with the Great Books KC book group. I decided to also listen to these twenty-four lectures to expose myself to additional background, commentary, and perspective on the Histories' cultural context as a work of history and as a literary achievement. It did indeed provide lots of information and commentary, but I'm not sure how much of what I learned will be retained in my memory.
The following is a discussion of the contents of each lecture:
The first lecture introduces what we know—mostly don’t know—about Herodotus, and it also provides a discussion of the political organization of Ancient Greece. Context for the Histories is provided by discussion of the events that occurred during the late 5th and early 6th centuries BC.
Lecture Two discusses the kinds of writing about the recent past that existed before Herodotus, and goes on to speculate of the possible influences they may have had on him. This lecture analyzes Herodotus’ opening sentence in detail to demonstrate his intentions toward creation of a genre different from what had been written previously.
Lecture Three considers the importance of myth and oral tradition for Herodotus work. Lecture Four looks at Homeric epic and its influence on Herodotus’ choice of subject matter and organization for his writing.
Lecture Five discusses the crucial 6th century BC intellectual movement known as the Ionian Enlightenment and its exploration of philosophical and scientific concepts of causation. It's worth noting that in this early era the Greek cities on the eastern side of the Aegean Sean (modern day Turkey) was under control of the Persian empire, and thus were more cosmopolitan in their world view because of their exposure to diverse cultures. In contrast Athens of that era had a relatively provincial outlook on the world.
Lecture Six and Seven covers the importance of Athens for Herodotus’ thought and achievement. It’s worth noting here that Herodotus was not a native of Athens, but he was living during the era of Athens’ hegemony over the other Greek city states. Thus Herodotus wrote from a perspective of an Athenian mindset, but he showed ample interest in and knowledge of other cultures.
Lecture Eight discusses the frequent “digressions” in the Histories with special focus on the ethnographic and geographical digressions. It is explained that the division of Histories into nine books has more to do with the capacity of one scroll than the intentional division by Herodotus.
Lectures Nine through Eleven covers Herodotus’ account of the beginnings of the Persian-Greek conflict which is material covered in Book I of the Histories. Characters discussed include Croesus and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Lecture Twelve covers Book II of the Histories and is considered by some to be one long “digression” by discussing Egypt at length. I found it quite interesting to note Herodotus’ efforts at explaining phenomena such as the annual flooding of the Nile River. He ruled out the possibility of it coming from snow melt because the river came from the south and everybody knows that the earth gets warmer as you go south. There are other similar examples where the modern reader will recognize errors in Herodotus’ understanding the natural phenomena.
Lecture Thirteen summarizes Book III that covers the career of Cyrus’ son Cambyses and the ascension of his successor, Darius, to the Persian throne.
Lecture Fourteen covers Book IV that describes Darius’ expedition against Scythia. Herodotus goes into considerable detail about the origins, customs and history of the Scythians. The lecture proceeds to inform us that some the the stories about the Scythians that were suspected to be works of Herodotus’ imagination have been substantiated by modern archeological findings—e.g. worship fo the snake woman.
Lecture Fifteen describes the culture and customs of Sparta, Athens’ rival for hegemony in Greece. All elements of Spartan society were focused on militarism and the production of the best possible soldiers. I found it of particular interest that a significant portion of the population were helots—i.e. slaves. Herodotus states that there were seven helots for each Spartan at the time of the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. I’m not sure what fraction of the total population they constituted, but it appears that they may have been in the majority. Consequently, Spartans were reluctant to send their army too far from home in order to protect against a slave revolt.
Lectures Sixteen through Nineteen discuss the Persian Wars. Lecture Sixteen covers the events leading up to the first invasion of Greece in 490 BC and the invasion itself. The lecture describes the Ionian Revolt of 499–494 BC. which is covered in Book V of the Histories. This led to Darius’ consequent desire for vengeance against Athens. The lecture then turned to a discussion of the Battle of Marathon described in Book VI, in which the Athenians defeated Darius’ troops. Lecture Seventeen opens our discussion of the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480–479 BC. The lecture summarizes the aftermath of Marathon, Book VII, and describes the ascension of Darius’ son Xerxes and his decision to continue his father’s campaign against Greece. The lecture discusses Herodotus’ description of the size and composition of Xerxes’ army and compares Herodotus’ figures to the views of modern historians.
The Battles of Thermopylae (on land) and Battle of Artemisium (at sea) covered in Book VIII of Histories is covered in Lecture Eighteen. Lecture Nineteen discusses the battles of Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale that are contained in Book IX. Finally, the lecture discusses the Athenian siege of Sestos.
Lectures Twenty through Twenty-Two turn to interpretative issues that reveals Herodotus’ understanding of the importance of individuals, customs and religions in determining the direction of history. The merits of considering Histories to be both literature and history are explored.
Lecture Twenty-Three describes the political context in which Herodotus probably wrote the Histories. It is probable that the beginning battles of the Peloponnesian War were underway while some of it was being written. It’s interesting to look for clues as to whether Herodotus was pro-Athenian or pro-Spartan.
Lecture Twenty-Four considers the major differences between Thucydides’ work and that of Herodotus. It is noted that the reputation of Herodotus grew during the 20th century from what it had been in the 19th century. This improved prestige of Histories was an outgrowth of increased appreciation for the context within which Herodotus had to collect his information and do his writing. At the time he wrote there was no precedent of what constituted “history” writing.
The following is a discussion of the contents of each lecture:
The first lecture introduces what we know—mostly don’t know—about Herodotus, and it also provides a discussion of the political organization of Ancient Greece. Context for the Histories is provided by discussion of the events that occurred during the late 5th and early 6th centuries BC.
Lecture Two discusses the kinds of writing about the recent past that existed before Herodotus, and goes on to speculate of the possible influences they may have had on him. This lecture analyzes Herodotus’ opening sentence in detail to demonstrate his intentions toward creation of a genre different from what had been written previously.
Lecture Three considers the importance of myth and oral tradition for Herodotus work. Lecture Four looks at Homeric epic and its influence on Herodotus’ choice of subject matter and organization for his writing.
Lecture Five discusses the crucial 6th century BC intellectual movement known as the Ionian Enlightenment and its exploration of philosophical and scientific concepts of causation. It's worth noting that in this early era the Greek cities on the eastern side of the Aegean Sean (modern day Turkey) was under control of the Persian empire, and thus were more cosmopolitan in their world view because of their exposure to diverse cultures. In contrast Athens of that era had a relatively provincial outlook on the world.
Lecture Six and Seven covers the importance of Athens for Herodotus’ thought and achievement. It’s worth noting here that Herodotus was not a native of Athens, but he was living during the era of Athens’ hegemony over the other Greek city states. Thus Herodotus wrote from a perspective of an Athenian mindset, but he showed ample interest in and knowledge of other cultures.
Lecture Eight discusses the frequent “digressions” in the Histories with special focus on the ethnographic and geographical digressions. It is explained that the division of Histories into nine books has more to do with the capacity of one scroll than the intentional division by Herodotus.
Lectures Nine through Eleven covers Herodotus’ account of the beginnings of the Persian-Greek conflict which is material covered in Book I of the Histories. Characters discussed include Croesus and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Lecture Twelve covers Book II of the Histories and is considered by some to be one long “digression” by discussing Egypt at length. I found it quite interesting to note Herodotus’ efforts at explaining phenomena such as the annual flooding of the Nile River. He ruled out the possibility of it coming from snow melt because the river came from the south and everybody knows that the earth gets warmer as you go south. There are other similar examples where the modern reader will recognize errors in Herodotus’ understanding the natural phenomena.
Lecture Thirteen summarizes Book III that covers the career of Cyrus’ son Cambyses and the ascension of his successor, Darius, to the Persian throne.
Lecture Fourteen covers Book IV that describes Darius’ expedition against Scythia. Herodotus goes into considerable detail about the origins, customs and history of the Scythians. The lecture proceeds to inform us that some the the stories about the Scythians that were suspected to be works of Herodotus’ imagination have been substantiated by modern archeological findings—e.g. worship fo the snake woman.
Lecture Fifteen describes the culture and customs of Sparta, Athens’ rival for hegemony in Greece. All elements of Spartan society were focused on militarism and the production of the best possible soldiers. I found it of particular interest that a significant portion of the population were helots—i.e. slaves. Herodotus states that there were seven helots for each Spartan at the time of the Battle of Plataea in 479 BC. I’m not sure what fraction of the total population they constituted, but it appears that they may have been in the majority. Consequently, Spartans were reluctant to send their army too far from home in order to protect against a slave revolt.
Lectures Sixteen through Nineteen discuss the Persian Wars. Lecture Sixteen covers the events leading up to the first invasion of Greece in 490 BC and the invasion itself. The lecture describes the Ionian Revolt of 499–494 BC. which is covered in Book V of the Histories. This led to Darius’ consequent desire for vengeance against Athens. The lecture then turned to a discussion of the Battle of Marathon described in Book VI, in which the Athenians defeated Darius’ troops. Lecture Seventeen opens our discussion of the second Persian invasion of Greece in 480–479 BC. The lecture summarizes the aftermath of Marathon, Book VII, and describes the ascension of Darius’ son Xerxes and his decision to continue his father’s campaign against Greece. The lecture discusses Herodotus’ description of the size and composition of Xerxes’ army and compares Herodotus’ figures to the views of modern historians.
The Battles of Thermopylae (on land) and Battle of Artemisium (at sea) covered in Book VIII of Histories is covered in Lecture Eighteen. Lecture Nineteen discusses the battles of Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale that are contained in Book IX. Finally, the lecture discusses the Athenian siege of Sestos.
Lectures Twenty through Twenty-Two turn to interpretative issues that reveals Herodotus’ understanding of the importance of individuals, customs and religions in determining the direction of history. The merits of considering Histories to be both literature and history are explored.
Lecture Twenty-Three describes the political context in which Herodotus probably wrote the Histories. It is probable that the beginning battles of the Peloponnesian War were underway while some of it was being written. It’s interesting to look for clues as to whether Herodotus was pro-Athenian or pro-Spartan.
Lecture Twenty-Four considers the major differences between Thucydides’ work and that of Herodotus. It is noted that the reputation of Herodotus grew during the 20th century from what it had been in the 19th century. This improved prestige of Histories was an outgrowth of increased appreciation for the context within which Herodotus had to collect his information and do his writing. At the time he wrote there was no precedent of what constituted “history” writing.
December 1, 2021
I went off on an Ancient Greek tangent these last months, and "Herodotus: The Father of History" is yet another excellent course on the topic. It discusses whatever little is known about Herodotus's life, the historical and cultural context of his work, his predecessors and influences, the different aspects of his Histories, his lasting legacy.
As I've recently listened to detailed courses on the Persian and Peloponnesian wars and on Ancient Greek Litterature (which had a lecture on Herodotus), I expected this course might sound a bit repetetive, but with my anything but brilliant memory repetition would come handy. Surprisingly, it didn't seem repetetive at all.
Professor Elizabeth Vandiver is an excellent lecturer and an expert on the subject. I found her quoting Ancient Greek and her insights into the difficulties of accurate translation of the original text especially fascinating. Even after the courses on the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, some of the details on Spartan customs she mentioned were completely new to me. Also, while in the course on the Peloponnesian war different episodes of the Herodotus's account were presented as the description of actual events, in this course Professor Vandiver questioned their accuracy, confirming some with the help of other available data and doubting others.
It's amazing how each excellent lecturer brings something new into the discussion of the same subject, shows it in a new light.
All in all, this was a very interesting and informative course, and it made me dream about actually reading Herodotus's Histories one day. And I currently have three more courses by Elizabeth Vandiver in my posession -- something to look forward to.;)
As I've recently listened to detailed courses on the Persian and Peloponnesian wars and on Ancient Greek Litterature (which had a lecture on Herodotus), I expected this course might sound a bit repetetive, but with my anything but brilliant memory repetition would come handy. Surprisingly, it didn't seem repetetive at all.
Professor Elizabeth Vandiver is an excellent lecturer and an expert on the subject. I found her quoting Ancient Greek and her insights into the difficulties of accurate translation of the original text especially fascinating. Even after the courses on the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, some of the details on Spartan customs she mentioned were completely new to me. Also, while in the course on the Peloponnesian war different episodes of the Herodotus's account were presented as the description of actual events, in this course Professor Vandiver questioned their accuracy, confirming some with the help of other available data and doubting others.
It's amazing how each excellent lecturer brings something new into the discussion of the same subject, shows it in a new light.
All in all, this was a very interesting and informative course, and it made me dream about actually reading Herodotus's Histories one day. And I currently have three more courses by Elizabeth Vandiver in my posession -- something to look forward to.;)
May 18, 2016
Vandiver's course can be read as a rough outline of the Histories, as an abbreviated version perhaps, but it is best used in conjunction with reading the Histories itself. The background material at the beginning of the course is very helpful -- Herodotus does not dwell on historical facts that would have been common knowledge for his 5th century audience, but knowing things like the history of the Alcmaeonid curse and the way the Ionian revolution might have influenced Herodotus provide important context for the modern reader. Vandiver is a clear speaker and the course is organized with a lot of care. It's well worth the time if you're making the commitment to reading Herodotus.
December 13, 2022
Herodutus is often called the Father of History because he created a new genre of philosophy or literature that evolved into the genre of scholastic investigation that we call history. In this superb Great Courses book, Elizabeth Vandiver walks the reader through just about everything we know about Herodutus, his famous work, and the scholarly debates around what he accomplished, how accurate he was, and whether or not we should even call him an historian. Just for the record—we should. He wrote an account of events that he believed happened (indeed, most of it did) and he went to great lengths to verify where possible these accounts through witness testimony speaking with people who were actually there or who talked to people (like their grandfathers) who were actually there.
It’s truly an amazing work crafted by an amazing writer who inspired others to attempt to get to the truth of the matters they wrote about it. Vandiver does an amazing job of conveying this monumental work with its glories and failings to the reader. She also places everything in the context of Herodutus’ times and never forgets to show how academics have struggled with understanding these issues. This is a thoroughly approachable guide to one of the great works of all time.
It’s truly an amazing work crafted by an amazing writer who inspired others to attempt to get to the truth of the matters they wrote about it. Vandiver does an amazing job of conveying this monumental work with its glories and failings to the reader. She also places everything in the context of Herodutus’ times and never forgets to show how academics have struggled with understanding these issues. This is a thoroughly approachable guide to one of the great works of all time.
June 24, 2022
Professor Vandiver is always great, and this course on Herodotus is no exception.
January 11, 2020
I really enjoyed listening to this audio series. Lots of information about ancient Greek history, with good information on the cultural context of The Histories. And if you’re wondering why we usually focus on wars in history, you can thank (or blame) Herodotus. He kind of started that trend with what was the first history book.
July 4, 2016
I am a true Vandiver fan girl. This did not disappoint.
Want to read
October 31, 2020********************
*The Histories by Herodotus TBR
*Herodotus: The Father of History TBR
*Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuściński TBR
*The Life of Greece by Will Durant 5 stars
*24 Hours in Ancient Athens: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There by Philip Matyszak 3 stars
*The Histories by Herodotus TBR
*Herodotus: The Father of History TBR
*Travels with Herodotus by Ryszard Kapuściński TBR
*The Life of Greece by Will Durant 5 stars
*24 Hours in Ancient Athens: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There by Philip Matyszak 3 stars
June 27, 2014
I "read" this course series as the audiobook, and really enjoyed it. Though at the beginning-- the first 4 CDs-- Vandiver gives mostly background, she does work through the plotline of Herodotus as well, so it forms a sort of outline for reading the works. Vandiver is careful to give multiple perspectives in the analysis of what Herodotus says, how it fits into Greek history, etc. Ok, admittedly, after listening to 2 of her courses, I'm an unashamed fangirl and would probably listen to her lecturing about Greek paint drying (or the Odyssey, which I admit I find as maddening as the voyages of James T. Kirk...)
I now feel ready to tackle the Histories. I also have a few new 'tags' from Herodotus to add to my repertoire ("Their arrows blacken out the sun!""Good, then we will fight in the shade!" as well as "Soft lands make soft men.") My understanding of the Persian wars, especially the battle of Thermopylae, and even the Peloponnesian wars, is vastly improved-- I admit my recollections from seventh-grade history are rather misty not to mention simplified. I had no idea that Pericles of Golden Age Athens presided over not only the Peloponnesian wars but an outbreak of plague in Athens which killed him.
I now feel ready to tackle the Histories. I also have a few new 'tags' from Herodotus to add to my repertoire ("Their arrows blacken out the sun!""Good, then we will fight in the shade!" as well as "Soft lands make soft men.") My understanding of the Persian wars, especially the battle of Thermopylae, and even the Peloponnesian wars, is vastly improved-- I admit my recollections from seventh-grade history are rather misty not to mention simplified. I had no idea that Pericles of Golden Age Athens presided over not only the Peloponnesian wars but an outbreak of plague in Athens which killed him.
September 27, 2009
I bought the MP4's from the Teaching Company and WOW! I had no idea the breadth and detail contained in Herodotus's work until these lectures. Utterly riveting. I easily listened to the lectures while biking and walking to and from work and running errands. Not only has this allowed me to fill in blank moments of my life, but I'm also filling in as before unseen gaps in my general education. Highly recommend all of Vandiver's work.
February 29, 2020
Before reading Herodotus's famous "Histories", I wanted some historical, cultural, and linguistic background on the work and the writer. This course provides just that. Professor Vandiver is not as eloquent or personable as other Great Courses lecturers, but she is erudite and understandable. I particularly enjoyed her linguistic analysis of the text. I now feel prepared to read the "Histories", and will refer back to this course to aid my reading.
February 20, 2021
Very well done. Professor Elizabeth Vandiver knows her subject well. She presents the information and opinions on it in a very interesting way. She is articulate and compelling especially when it comes to the famous battles. I want to read Herodotus now. Seriously, I have him in my wish list on Audible for my next purchase. I have heard a great deal about Herodotus and now I know why he is famous. Watch this or listen to it!
February 8, 2014
I'm in the process of listening to this one a second time - it's that good.
May 30, 2022
My old Renaissance Studies lecturer would have called this 'infotainment': easy yet well-informed listening to satisfy curiosity and to broaden horizons.
This does that! Perfect to still the chattering mind while I am painting or pottering around the house. Reading Herodotus himself (and all the footnotes) is something of an epic task due to the sheer size of his 'Histories'- this is easily the next best thing.
Elizabeth Vandiver has a good voice to listen to: clear and even.
This does that! Perfect to still the chattering mind while I am painting or pottering around the house. Reading Herodotus himself (and all the footnotes) is something of an epic task due to the sheer size of his 'Histories'- this is easily the next best thing.
Elizabeth Vandiver has a good voice to listen to: clear and even.
December 10, 2014
Hard to put a star rating on a lecture series, but I've really enjoyed listening to all of Dr. Vandiver's classes. I've listened to Myth, Tragedy, Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, and finally Herodotus, and I'm sad there aren't more.
January 15, 2020
These lectures are one of my favorite ways to learn. The amazing thing about ancient history is how relevant its lessons are, even today it seems so many of the same elements argue and battle in our political arenas. This was a Good Read.
February 20, 2018
Insightful while reading Herodotus.
August 9, 2022
Excellent Insights and Context for A Radical New Empirical Approach to History based on Eyewitness Accounts, but including Ethnography and Literary Elements as Well
I listened to these lectures in audiobook form as I've recently gotten deeply into Greek and Roman history in preparation for my first upcoming trip to Rome (and Italy), my first time to there and Italy in general, and I quickly realized that to understand Roman history you must look back to Greek history, as they themselves did.
I discovered Prof Vandiver's lectures via the Great Courses audiobooks, including ones on Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, so it was a natural choice to move on to this one on Herodotus, “The Father of History”. It’s really amazing to consider a time when there was very little analysis of the cultural, political, economic, and military forces at play behind the great events of the world, rather than just dry listings of dynastic successions, battles, and self-aggrandizing accounts of rulers written by their own scribes. So Herodotus’ attempt to understand not just those forces in Greek society, but also for the Persians and Scythians and Medians and Lydians is an incredible conceptual leap. And Prof Vandiver takes great care to provide all that context in the early lectures before even starting to examine his actual histories, which mainly focus on the Greco-Persian wars in the two major invasions by Darius and then by his son Xerxes. It’s really fascinating stuff, as is Herodotus’ “digressions” into Egyptian culture. She also provides the heroic Greek literary context of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and how that finds its way into his descriptions of historical events, though downplaying the role of the Gods in these events (though still including elements like the Oracle at Delphi) as he moved away from divine factors and focused more on human individuals. It also describes in detail his methodology of insisting on word-of-mouth accounts by living witnesses to the events and thorough interviews to establish the “facts”, a revolutionary new approach at the time, and establishing the empirical method for future historians.
I’ve really been on an Ancient Greek and Roman history trip these past few months, listening to Great Courses audiobooks on Thucydides, the Greco-Persian Wars, Ancient Greek Society (the birth of Athenian democracy), and the Peloponnesian Wars. The more you delve into it, the more you want to know, and each lecturer brings a new perspective and insight to the same events, so it builds a more complete picture rather than being repetitive. Really enjoyed all of these courses!
I listened to these lectures in audiobook form as I've recently gotten deeply into Greek and Roman history in preparation for my first upcoming trip to Rome (and Italy), my first time to there and Italy in general, and I quickly realized that to understand Roman history you must look back to Greek history, as they themselves did.
I discovered Prof Vandiver's lectures via the Great Courses audiobooks, including ones on Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, so it was a natural choice to move on to this one on Herodotus, “The Father of History”. It’s really amazing to consider a time when there was very little analysis of the cultural, political, economic, and military forces at play behind the great events of the world, rather than just dry listings of dynastic successions, battles, and self-aggrandizing accounts of rulers written by their own scribes. So Herodotus’ attempt to understand not just those forces in Greek society, but also for the Persians and Scythians and Medians and Lydians is an incredible conceptual leap. And Prof Vandiver takes great care to provide all that context in the early lectures before even starting to examine his actual histories, which mainly focus on the Greco-Persian wars in the two major invasions by Darius and then by his son Xerxes. It’s really fascinating stuff, as is Herodotus’ “digressions” into Egyptian culture. She also provides the heroic Greek literary context of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and how that finds its way into his descriptions of historical events, though downplaying the role of the Gods in these events (though still including elements like the Oracle at Delphi) as he moved away from divine factors and focused more on human individuals. It also describes in detail his methodology of insisting on word-of-mouth accounts by living witnesses to the events and thorough interviews to establish the “facts”, a revolutionary new approach at the time, and establishing the empirical method for future historians.
I’ve really been on an Ancient Greek and Roman history trip these past few months, listening to Great Courses audiobooks on Thucydides, the Greco-Persian Wars, Ancient Greek Society (the birth of Athenian democracy), and the Peloponnesian Wars. The more you delve into it, the more you want to know, and each lecturer brings a new perspective and insight to the same events, so it builds a more complete picture rather than being repetitive. Really enjoyed all of these courses!
May 4, 2023
There is really a lot to learn about Greek history and thinking. They didn't have a word for history so they used a word meaning research. Also, Herodotus wrote in a style that was meant to be presented to an audience. That was helpful for me to know that.
I am sorry that the professor did not cover one point of interest to me. Not her fault because there was so much to cover, but still, while reading Herodotus years ago I ran across an account of a battle where a Persian queen was captured and I often wondered if it might not have been Queen Esther of the biblical Book of Esther. I found it too difficult to determine the time frame of the event and I was hoping the professor would cover it. No luck.
Beyond that, I was especially interested when the professor revealed differences in the way the ancient Greeks thought (their processing of facts in their minds). I would have liked her to hit harder on that aspect of the ancient Greeks, but she did a pretty good job of it nevertheless.
I might listen to this audio course again.
I am sorry that the professor did not cover one point of interest to me. Not her fault because there was so much to cover, but still, while reading Herodotus years ago I ran across an account of a battle where a Persian queen was captured and I often wondered if it might not have been Queen Esther of the biblical Book of Esther. I found it too difficult to determine the time frame of the event and I was hoping the professor would cover it. No luck.
Beyond that, I was especially interested when the professor revealed differences in the way the ancient Greeks thought (their processing of facts in their minds). I would have liked her to hit harder on that aspect of the ancient Greeks, but she did a pretty good job of it nevertheless.
I might listen to this audio course again.
March 11, 2024
Herodotus: The Father of History by Elizabeth Vandiver is going from strength to strength. Here, Vandiver relishes in her doctoral work and it is clear that she has mastery over her subject matter. The initial part of the course is spent contextualizing classical Greece/Near East and introducing the world of Herodotus and his intellectual tradition, and then it delves into the history he wrote alongside the history as it takes place. After this, there is a thematic overview of the work and literary analysis, before rounding up a conclusion of Herodotus' role as historian and literary figure, as well as his legacy. The content is top notch, and the narration is very easy to get into. Vandiver does a great job, and almost makes me want to become a historian (though she's a literary classicist).
September 14, 2022
This is a collection of twenty-four excellent lectures on Herodotus, his influences, his era, and more. When he used the Greek word 'history (Ἱστορίαι) it meant 'inquiry'. Herodotus' use of the word as the title for his writings has influenced the meaning of the word 'history' for thousands of years.
Overall I learned a lot and found the lectures fascinating. I'm not educated enough about these topics to critique much. I loved learning about the history, the legends, and the literary forms of Herodotus' work.
I noticed that Elizabeth Vandiver uses the word "supernatural" in the same way that David Humes used it, which I always find disatisfying and poorly thought out. But I'm nitpicking; most Western scholars seem to do the same.
Overall I learned a lot and found the lectures fascinating. I'm not educated enough about these topics to critique much. I loved learning about the history, the legends, and the literary forms of Herodotus' work.
I noticed that Elizabeth Vandiver uses the word "supernatural" in the same way that David Humes used it, which I always find disatisfying and poorly thought out. But I'm nitpicking; most Western scholars seem to do the same.
January 26, 2022
Well this makes a nice companion to Herodotus, another fine series of lectures from Elizabeth Vandiver.
Sure, this isn’t exactly a book but it’s just as good. I consider these courses knowledge multipliers as they increase by a couple of orders of magnitude the amount I get out of the classic literature I read. I remember when lectures from The Great Courses used to be quite expensive but now that I have an Audible subscription, they cost no more than a regular audiobook. Money well spent.
This was definitely worth my time.
Sure, this isn’t exactly a book but it’s just as good. I consider these courses knowledge multipliers as they increase by a couple of orders of magnitude the amount I get out of the classic literature I read. I remember when lectures from The Great Courses used to be quite expensive but now that I have an Audible subscription, they cost no more than a regular audiobook. Money well spent.
This was definitely worth my time.
January 20, 2025
Great summary and clarifies a lot of things. I've read Herodotus but was not aware of many of the judgments of modern scholarship on Herodotus' accuracy and so on. Surely it makes a fascinating reading but it's nice to know what the scholarship consensus is. For instance, much of what Herodotus said about ancient Egypt was shown to be mistaken after scholars are able to decipher hieroglyph, however he was surprisingly accurate on a number of details such as the Scythian burial customs, as some archeological discoveries can attest.
April 14, 2019
Геродот был первым историком и тревел блогером, изучал греко-персидские войны и вдохновил многие поколения историков со вкусом описывать разнообразные баталии.
При этом он еще и опросил множество очевидцев из разных стран и включил в свой труд интереснейшую информацию о соседних с греками народах.
Хотя существует научная школа, считающая Геродота выдумщиком, он все равно пользуется огромной популярностью уже много веков (а они все завидуют!).
При этом он еще и опросил множество очевидцев из разных стран и включил в свой труд интереснейшую информацию о соседних с греками народах.
Хотя существует научная школа, считающая Геродота выдумщиком, он все равно пользуется огромной популярностью уже много веков (а они все завидуют!).
March 1, 2023
The lectures were clear and informative. I found the material getting more interesting as the course progressed. The last three lectures gave a good overview of the significance of Herodotus and how he is perceived by modern historians and scholars. I am looking forward to reading "The Histories" sometimes this year. I have listened to Prof. Vandiver's course on Homer's Iliad and enjoyed that one also.
January 8, 2018
The Histories - is Herodotus's only known work, yet it still made Herodotus one of the rare, landmark figures in the story of thought. This series of lectures was an introduction to Herodotus and The Histories, tracing the influences he assimilated and the new methods he used in crafting this monumental work.
May 17, 2022
I found this excellent. The first few lectures give some background, and then it delves into the Histories themselves. A more thorough way of reading this might have been to read The Histories at the same time.
Regardless, some fascinating insight into the different cultures, the similarities of various myths, and plenty of other tidbits.
Regardless, some fascinating insight into the different cultures, the similarities of various myths, and plenty of other tidbits.
April 5, 2024
Covers Herodotus the person, his histories, as well as the changing reception to what he wrote over time. Analyzes the work from both a literary perspective as well as a historical perspective. Includes a comparison with Thucydides. Very good.
April 12, 2024
Although this touches on the life of Herodotus, granted there's not much to go on, it's really more about his book of history. I don't understand why the Great Courses feels the need to add applause at the beginning and end of each lecture, the fanfare is bad enough.
November 13, 2024
Listened to the free Audible reading. The lecture is really interesting. Elizabeth Vandiver is an excellent speaker, although she repeats herself a lot, but it is not too distracting. I especially enjoy her enthusiasm and personal touch.
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