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'''Herodotus''' lived from 484 to 425 BC.  He was a Greek historian who is regarded as the father of history.  His book ''Histories'' describes the [[Persian Wars]]. He married his wife [[Andflef]] in 502 BC. with whom he had six children.

'''Herodotus''' lived from 484 to 425 BC.  He was a [[Greek]] [[historian]] who is regarded as the father of history.  His book ''Histories'' describes the [[Persian Wars]]. He married his wife [[Andflef]] in 502 BC. with whom he had six children.

== Famous Quotations ==

== Famous Quotations ==

A freely adapted and translated quotation from Herodotus has become famous as the unofficial motto of the United States Post Office (now United States Postal Service). The monumental General Post Office building in New York, built in 1914, has a 280-foot frieze bearing an inscription selected by the architect:

A freely adapted and translated quotation from Herodotus has become famous as the unofficial motto of the United States Post Office (now [[United States Postal Service]]). The monumental General Post Office building in New York, built in 1914, has a 280-foot frieze bearing an inscription selected by the architect:

:Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

:Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Herodotus was writing about the couriers of King Xerxes of Persia.

Herodotus was writing about the couriers of King [[Xerxes]] of [[Persia]].

== Style ==

== Style ==

Examples of Herodotus' myth-centered history is his description of mythical beasts as inhabiting foreign lands (an example is the [[phoenix]], which he treats as a real Egyptian animal).

Examples of Herodotus' myth-centered history is his description of mythical beasts as inhabiting foreign lands (an example is the [[phoenix]], which he treats as a real Egyptian animal).

However, recently, one of Herodotus' more far-fetched claims has been proven by modern science, specifically, DNA testing.  Herodotus claims in his ''Histories'' that the [[Etruscans]] were an offshoot of a tribe of Turkish nomads, who left their ancestral home as an advance scouting party to look for safer, more readily cultivatable land, and, having arrived in Italy, founded the Etruscan civilization as a colony of their old tribe, which has since been lost to the ages.  This claim was largely scorned by the [[Romans]].  Finding DNA corroboration of Herodotus' account was a sensational find for classical historians, suggesting that Herodotus' ''Histories'' may be more factual than before believed (at least with regards to human history, if not biology).[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/science/03etruscan.html?ex=1178337600&en=00778c1db4e835a5&ei=5070]  

However, recently, one of Herodotus' more far-fetched claims has been proven by modern science, specifically, DNA testing.  Herodotus claims in his ''Histories'' that the [[Etruscans]] were an offshoot of a tribe of Turkish nomads, who left their ancestral home as an advance scouting party to look for safer, more readily cultivatable land, and, having arrived in Italy, founded the Etruscan civilization as a colony of their old tribe, which has since been lost to the ages.  This claim was largely scorned by the [[Romans]].  Finding DNA corroboration of Herodotus' account was a sensational find for classical historians, suggesting that Herodotus' ''Histories'' may be more factual than before believed (at least with regards to human history, if not [[biology]]).<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/science/03etruscan.html?ex=1178337600&en=00778c1db4e835a5&ei=5070</ref>  

 

 

[[Category: Ancient Greek Historians]]

[[Category: Ancient Greek Historians]]