Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations
This paper offers a new reading of the much-discussed account of the origins of hostility between Greeks and Asiatics attributed to the Persian logioi at the start of Herodotus’ work. It explores two common (and related) readings of this passage: the account of the seizure of women (Io, Europa, Med...
| Κύριος συγγραφέας: | |
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| Μορφή: | Journal article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Έκδοση: |
Faculty of Philosophy, University of Crete, Rethymno
2010
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| _version_ | 1826278447060615168 |
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| author | Rood, T |
| author_facet | Rood, T |
| author_sort | Rood, T |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | This paper offers a new reading of the much-discussed account of the origins of hostility between Greeks and Asiatics attributed to the Persian logioi at the start of Herodotus’ work. It explores two common (and related) readings of this passage: the account of the seizure of women (Io, Europa, Medea, Helen) is seen as setting up the importance of reciprocity as a model for explaining human behaviour; and the motif of woman-seizing is sometimes thought to have been parodied in Dicaeopolis’ account of the origins of the Peloponnesian War in Aristophanes’ Acharnians (and this parody has accordingly been seen as important evidence for the publication date of Herodotus’ work). This paper will argue against both readings and suggest instead that the account can be read as an innovative and sophistic experiment that offers an explanation of the creation of spatial and temporal differentiation. The idea of separation between the Trojan War and earlier conflicts will be compared with the initial presentation of Croesus’ subjection of the Greeks and the later sophistic account of how Deioces gained power within Media. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:44:03Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:704b3f45-6121-4371-90a7-bb84da11734d |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:44:03Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Faculty of Philosophy, University of Crete, Rethymno |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:704b3f45-6121-4371-90a7-bb84da11734d2022-03-26T19:36:11ZHerodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relationsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:704b3f45-6121-4371-90a7-bb84da11734dHellenic (Classical Greek) literatureEnglishOxford University Research Archive - ValetFaculty of Philosophy, University of Crete, Rethymno2010Rood, TThis paper offers a new reading of the much-discussed account of the origins of hostility between Greeks and Asiatics attributed to the Persian logioi at the start of Herodotus’ work. It explores two common (and related) readings of this passage: the account of the seizure of women (Io, Europa, Medea, Helen) is seen as setting up the importance of reciprocity as a model for explaining human behaviour; and the motif of woman-seizing is sometimes thought to have been parodied in Dicaeopolis’ account of the origins of the Peloponnesian War in Aristophanes’ Acharnians (and this parody has accordingly been seen as important evidence for the publication date of Herodotus’ work). This paper will argue against both readings and suggest instead that the account can be read as an innovative and sophistic experiment that offers an explanation of the creation of spatial and temporal differentiation. The idea of separation between the Trojan War and earlier conflicts will be compared with the initial presentation of Croesus’ subjection of the Greeks and the later sophistic account of how Deioces gained power within Media. |
| spellingShingle | Hellenic (Classical Greek) literature Rood, T Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title | Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title_full | Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title_fullStr | Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title_short | Herodotus' proem: space, time, and the origins of international relations |
| title_sort | herodotus proem space time and the origins of international relations |
| topic | Hellenic (Classical Greek) literature |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT roodt herodotusproemspacetimeandtheoriginsofinternationalrelations |