Synopses & Reviews
Critics of Herodotus have generally shown an unease in the face of the religious passages of the Histories, a sense that he 'lets himself down' by delving into matters irrelevant to the proper purpose of history. They have tended consequently to latch on to isolated instances of scepticism in an attempt to vindicate Herodotus from imagined charges of obscurantism. Historians of Greek religion, on the other hand, by their concentration on ritual as the central feature of Greek religious experience, have often neglected the value of literary sources as evidence of religious belief; indeed the term belief has become something of a dirty word. In this book, the first full-length study of the subject in English, Dr Harrison not only places Herodotus' religious beliefs at the centre of his conception of history, but - by seeing instances of scepticism and of belief in relation to one another, and by the use of analogy from anthropological literature - also redresses the recent emphasis on the centrality of ritual.
Review
"This is a definitive work on Herodotus and Herodotean religion--balanced, learned, and wise. It should be an exemplar for all future discussions of ancient attitudes toward the divine, and the first chapter should be required reading for all students of Herodotus. It is almost as pleasurable and rewarding to read as Herodotus himself."--Choice
"An outstanding book of erudition, indispensable to all scholars interested in Herodotus. "--History
Synopsis
This book is a study of the religious beliefs of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus--his beliefs in divine retribution, in oracles and divination, in miracles or in fate. It seeks to show not only how such beliefs were central to his work, but also how they were compatible with lived experience.
About the Author
Thomas Harrison is Lecturer in Ancient History, the University of St Andrews
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Divinity and History
2. Solon and Human Fortune
3. Miracles and the Miraculous
4. Divine Retribution
5. Oracles and Divination
6. The Unity and Multiplicity of the Divine
7. The Limits of Knowledge and Inquiry
8. Foreign Gods and Foreign Religion
9. Fate and Human Responsibility
10. Epilogue