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Herodotus

Mentioned 10 times across 2 podcasts this week

This Week's Pulse

The The Rest Is History podcast is currently examining the foundational accounts of Herodotus regarding the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars.

Host Tom Holland highlights how Herodotus frames the conflict as an inevitable collision, noting that his work provides the "moment when the Persian invasions of Greece become inevitable."

The show further explores the historian's dramatic flair, specifically regarding the Spartan rejection of Persian diplomacy. Holland quotes the account where Spartans throw ambassadors into a well, telling them, "If they wanted earth and water, they could find it there."

Finally, the podcast underscores the heavy stakes of these early skirmishes, citing the historian's warning that "terrible evils would stem from these ships," setting the stage for the broader historical narrative of the Persian Empire and its eventual collapse.

Where it's discussed

668. Greece vs Persia: The Rise of the First Superpower (Part 1)

The Rest Is History

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Cyrus builds the Persian Empire”

The ancient historian whose work chronicles the conflict between the Persian Empire and Greece.

“No, it was very good. Um, yeah, so Herodotus, um, the first historian, and his great work takes as its theme, uh, the story of how the Persian Empire in the early decades of the fifth century BC tries to conquer Greece, um, and ultimately fails. And what Herod…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Why Persia decided to punish Athens”

The ancient historian whose accounts describe the events of the revolt.

“... sets sail across the Aegean, and it's a fleet of 20 ships. And it doesn't sail alone.Because, uh, there is another Greek city that falls for the blandishments of Aristagoras, and this is a place called Eretria, which is a, a merchant city on the nearby isl…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “The battle to come”

The ancient historian whose accounts of the Persian wars are cited.

“that she isn't seen to submit to the demands of some distant foreigner. And the Spartans don't even bother to put the Persian ambassadors on trial. Instead, they fling them down a well and tell them before they drown, and I quote Herodotus, "If they wanted ear…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Athens retreats from the Ionian Revolt”

The historian who documented the transformation of the Athenian military.

“Yeah, because Athens, like the Ionian cities, had until very recently been subject to the rule of a tyrannos, of a, a kind of autocratic strongman, and this had been an aristocrat called Hippias. And then in 510, Hippias had been expelled from the city by a gr…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “The destruction of Miletus”

The historian who recorded that the Athenians offered earth and water to the Persian king.

“they had sent ambassadors to the Persian governor, Artaphernes, in Sardis to see if they could negotiate an alliance. And Artaphernes had told them, "Well, you know, we're the superpower. We don't bother with alliances. It's, you know, you either submit or it'…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Aristagoras’ disastrous plan”

The historian quoted regarding the loyalty of Ionian tyrants to Darius.

“Well, no, because, um, to quote Herodotus, there was not one of them, but he owed his position as tyrannos to Darius. So in other words, they are, you know, they're the kind of the Vichy-type rulers of the Greeks. You don't want to go attacking your, your spon…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Athens and Sparta defy Darius”

The historian who recounted the story of the tattooed slave used to incite the revolt.

“Yes. And when the, when the revolt b-broke out, he went to Darius and said, "Look, I'm the guy to solve this. I know these people. Send me back." Um, and so Darius does, and Histiaeus turns up in, uh, Sardis very coolly, and Artaphernes has entirely sussed him…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “The genius of Darius’ empire”

The historian who described the architecture of Ecbatana.

“So the great capital of Media is this place called Ecbatana, which according to Herodotus is a bit like Minas Tirith. It's kind of rings of, of fortifications around a central stronghold, and each wall is a, a, a beautiful different color. Um, and this is wher…”

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “The death of Cyrus and the rise of Darius”

The historian who provided an account of the size and fall of Babylon.

“That's Anatolia is now subject to the Persians as well as Media. And this leaves perhaps the greatest power of all to be conquered, and this is Babylon. You know, this fabulous ancient cityThe richest city in the world, and Cyrus conquers that in 539, and Hero…”

671. The First World War: Blood in the Trenches (Part 1)

The Rest Is History

Tom Hollandneutralfrom “Shell Shock and Psychological Trauma in World War I”

Mentioned as the source of an account describing a soldier at the Battle of Marathon suffering from what is considered an early instance of shell shock.

“This is following on from, um, an episode we did on the Battle of Marathon, and there is an account in Herodotus, um, of someone at the B- the Battle of Marathon who gets what is often described as shell shock. It's often described as the first instance in rec…”