Introduction
One of the characteristics of the history of many ancient nations is the colonization, i.e. the establishment of new settlements in foreign lands. Particularly, a major role in the ancient Mediterranean history was played by Greek and Phoenician Colonization. This Primary Source Document essay will analyze “The History of Herodotus” by Herodotus written 440 B.C.E.
Author Background
Herodotus, who is also called the Father of History, is a Greek historian born in 484 B.C. Herodotus devoted himself early to literary life, which is clear from his work and his extensive course of reading, thus being rendered as “one of the most instructive as well as one of the most charming of ancient writers”. Herodotus is known for the extensive detail in the narration in his books, which can be considered as primary sources of information on ancient land and people. (Macaulay)
Book’s Overview
The book which is the subject of this essay was written as an account of the conflict between the Greeks and Persians between 430 and 424 BCE, and was titled “Inquiry”- “Historie” in classic Greek which later which subsequently passed into other languages and became the name of the science of history.
The writings of Herodotus were divided into several books several books that chronicle the Greek-Persian conflict, and at the same time narrate his observations of the ancient lands he traveled presenting a primary source for acquaintance of ancient civilizations such as the Greek and the Phoenician which are the subject of this essay. (Macaulay)
Analysis
In book I – “Clio”, Herodotus gives an overview of the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians according to the Persians who are best informed in history as stated in the book, the Phoenicians’ main place for inhabitance was established after “having migrated to the Mediterranean” from “the shores of the Erythraean Sea (Persian Gulf)”. The book shows the trading procedure of the Phoenicians as they were landing with their merchandise of Egypt and Assyria on many paces on the coast such as Argos and “traded with the natives for five or six days”. The book also narrates the background for the series of outrages between the Phoenicians and the Greek.
As stated by Herodotus the points of view on who started were different between the Persian and the Phoenicians, “the Persian story, which differs widely from the Phoenician”. In general, the background could be summarized as, Io the daughter of Inachus being taken by the Phoenicians in one of their trade travels, and then the Greeks –probably Cretans or Zeus by Cretans words taken Europa “to Crete, where she bore three sons by Zeus: Sarpedon, Rhadamanthys, and Minos, later king of all Crete”
Also in book V- Terpsichore, Herodotus tells how the Phoenicians also brought their alphabet to the Greek. The Phoenicians came to Athens with Cadmus among Gephyraeans “after being expelled in turn by the Boeotians”
In book VI- Melpomene, Herodotus describes the founding of the Greek Colony Cerene in 630 BCE. As narrated the founding of Cerene began when the oracle told Grinus the king of Theras that he should find a city in Libya. The oracle predicted that they would suffer from drought, a prediction that turned to be true during seven years after which messengers were sent to Crete to “inquire whether any of the Cretans, or of the strangers living amongst them, had ever travelled as far as Libya.” After settling in a place called Aziris for six years, the Libyans led them to a better place in a region called Irasa which became Cerene the settlement for Greeks from every quarter in Libya.
Summary
Although the narration of Herodotus covered only a small portion of the colonization of Greeks and Phoenicians, some major factors could be pointed out on the main reasons for such colonization. In the case of the Phoenicians it could concluded that the trading journeys are one of the reasons for taking and inhabiting a foreign land. It is shown that during those trading journeys, the Phoenicians sometimes and the Greek in turn took with them women of the land they traveled to, in this case the daughter of the king which led to many outrages and wars.
In other cases such as the case of founding Cerene, the drought and the desire to search for a better land, led the Greek to travel to Libya where they found a place that became a settlement for them. It should be noted the ironic fact the Libyans themselves led the Geek to a better place or as they said” the proper place for you to settle; for here the sky leaks” and after that “found themselves stripped of large portions of their lands”.
Conclusion
In spite the style of the book which narrates the events in the form of a tale, many historical events and descriptions could be obtained from a book written in 430 B.C., thus making it a primary source of information that provide the necessary background for a research and a study.
Works Cited
Herodotus. The History of Herodotus. Trans. George Rawlinson. The Internet Classics Archieve. 2000. Web.
The History of Herodotus. Trans. G. C. Macaulay. Macmillan, London and NY(1890). Web.