So to get a sense of this whole set of stories, we need a little context. A decade earlier Amasis, the pharaoh whom Cambyses deposed, had sought to create an alliance to contain Persian power in the Mediterranean. Cyprus, Samos, and … Continue reading →
We join the scene already in progress: the Fish Eaters, diplomats/spies/envoys to Mythic Ethiopia, preparing to present the tallest man in Mythic Ethiopia (and therefore the king) with a series of gifts Cambyses thought would impress him. The lead Fish … Continue reading →
As we head into Book III of the Histories, THALIA, you may need to be reminded that Book II, EUTERPE, was a book-length digression off of the main narrative. Herodotus does this kind of thing a lot. Book III picks … Continue reading →
Once upon a time a few generations prior to the Persian Wars, Anysis died without an heir and what with one thing and another, there was no king in Egypt. The Egyptians couldn’t stand the inherent uncertainty of this situation, … Continue reading →
This bit is a good bit. Once upon a time Proteus, the king of Egypt who dealt with Helen of Troy, passed away and the kingdom fell to his successor Remphis. Remphis had a problem. He had too much money! … Continue reading →
Herodotus, first of all, credits the Egyptians with a tremendous amount of intelligence, cunning, and invention. They’re the oldest civilization, he says, and also the smartest. To defend this assertion he lists off a number of items the Egyptians invented, … Continue reading →
EUTERPE is Herodotus’s book-length guide to Egypt. Rather than continue on with the main narrative of the Persian Wars, he instead spends the entire volume discussing the history, geography, and culture of one country. We won’t learn about what happened … Continue reading →
What follows are some of the digressions from the main narrative that Herodotus explored in this section, packaged separately for your convenience. # SOME OF THE CITY-STATES HARPAGOS SACKED! The Carians! These guys invented putting crests on helmets! Also shields … Continue reading →
While Harpagos rampaged through Ionia and environs, Cyrus conquered most of the rest of the Middle East. He triumphantly rolled over of most of modern-day Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, excepting those portions that he’d already controlled; this period … Continue reading →
Harpagos, the guy whom Astyages forced to eat his own son as punishment for not properly arranging for Cyrus’s death, eventually decided to make Cyrus into the instrument of his vengeance, like you do. Fortunately for Harpagos, Astyages was cruising … Continue reading →
