What is History

Time Estimation
Time estimation for the completion of the required material in this section.
 * Lecture = 30 min.
 * Required Reading & Review Questions = 30 min.
 * Test Yourself Questions = 30 min.

Lecture
Coming Soon

Outline
 * A definition of history as a discipline
 * The birth of history by Herodotus
 * Thucydides, the founder of scientifc history

Required Reading

 * History. Read the introductory part above the Contents and Etymology and Description.
 * Herodotus, Histories. Read the introduction and the first three paragraphs from History of Herodotus/Book 1.
 * Thucidides, History of the Peloponnesian War. Read paragraphs 20-23 from History of the Peloponnesian War/Book 1.

Review Questions

 * Where does the word ‘history’ come from?
 * What were the uses of the word ‘history’ in ancient and modern times?
 * Give a definition of history as a discipline.
 * Name some of the complementary disciplines that historians use in order to understand the past?
 * Why did Herodotus write his Histories?
 * How did Herodotus learn about the events he refers to?
 * Identify the part(s) of Herodotus writing in the first three paragraphs that he makes reference(s) to different versions of the same event.
 * Identify the part(s) of Herodotus writing in the first three paragraphs that he makes reference(s) to stories he heard.
 * Should historians, according to Thucydides, take for granted whatever they are told? Give examples of his opinion from the assigned paragraphs.
 * What is the method that Thucydides used in order to find the true course of events?
 * Why does Thucydides believe that his account may not attract much interest?
 * Why has he written his account?
 * Does Thucydides make any differentiation among the causes of the Peloponnesian War he is going to describe?

Test Yourself Questions

 * Write a short paragraph explaining what history is.
 * In a short essay compare and contrast the methods that Herodotus and Thucydides used in order to write their accounts.

Additional Information
(Help for playing wikipedia media files)
 * Herodotus biography
 * Thucydides biography and comparision with Herodotus
 * [[Image:Speaker Icon.svg|24px]] Herodotus speaking. (6 min.)
 * [[Image:Speaker Icon.svg|24px]] Thucydides speaking. (5 min.)