Chapter 6 Herodotus, Thucydides, and the ‘Wheel of History’: Patterns of Historical Interpretation
In: Politeia and KoinōniaSearch for other papers by Kurt A. Raaflaub in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
Abstract
Herodotus’ Croesus warns Cyrus: “Human life is like a revolving wheel (kyklos) and never allows the same people to continue long in prosperity” (1.207.2). The pattern of history as a sequence of kykloi, the constant up and down (the ‘life curve’) of leaders, kings, cities, and empires, has great relevance in Herodotus’ philosophy of history. This chapter explores the significance of this pattern not only for Herodotus’ interpretation of history in general but specifically for the light it throws on the close connection between Herodotus and Thucydides. The career of Miltiades enabled Herodotus to demonstrate the working of this pattern from beginning to end. Yet the chronological limits of his work permitted him to pursue the life curves of Themistocles and Pausanias only to the peak of their success but not to their fall and end. Here lies an important reason for Thucydides’ choice to devote a long digression specifically to the fall of these two heroes. In the Miltiades story Herodotus also hints at the rise of Athens as a new imperial power and thus at the beginning of a life curve that is the focus of Thucydides’ History. By linking his work tightly to that of his predecessor, Thucydides signals his intention to continue what Herodotus could only hint at.