The influence of orally performed literature on Thucydides' 'History' and a hypothesis of partial publications during the author's lifetime
The relationship between historiography and the public in the V century Greece is a matter of debate. The evidence available supports the hypothesis that parts of the work of Herodotus were read aloud before an audience. We also have information of performances of historical works during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, but when we come to Thucydides, mainstream modern criticism assumes that the <i>History of the Peloponnesian War </i>was meant to be addressed to a reading public and circulated in writing. Thucydidesâ declaration that his work is intended to be a ? and his critical attitude towards his predecessors' methods and objectives appear to support this idea. On the other hand if we look at the state of oral culture at that time and the practice followed by other contemporary and later historians, such a hypothesis would make Thucydides a striking exception. While scholars generally are concerned with the way in which Thucydides innovates and differs from earlier authors, my thesis is concerned rather with what he has in common with them. My intention is to highlight the inter-relationship between the work of Thucydides and the culture of his own time. That inquiry is conducted at two different
Bianco, Annalisa
The influence of orally performed literature on Thucydides' 'History' and a hypothesis of partial publications during the author's lifetime. The relationship between historiography and the public in the V century Greece is a matter of debate. The evidence available supports the hypothesis that parts of the work of Herodotus were read aloud before an audience. We also have information of performances of historical works during the Hellenistic and Roman periods, but when we come to Thucydides, mainstream modern criticism assumes that the <i>History of the Peloponnesian War </i>was meant to be addressed to a reading public and circulated in writing. Thucydidesâ declaration that his work is intended to be a ? and his critical attitude towards his predecessors' methods and objectives appear to support this idea. On the other hand if we look at the state of oral culture at that time and the practice followed by other contemporary and later historians, such a hypothesis would make Thucydides a striking exception. While scholars generally are concerned with the way in which Thucydides innovates and differs from earlier authors, my thesis is concerned rather with what he has in common with them. My intention is to highlight the inter-relationship between the work of Thucydides and the culture of his own time. That inquiry is conducted at two different
influence orally perform literature thucydides history hypothesis partial publication author lifetime relationship historiography public century greece matter_debate evidence_available support_hypothesis part work herodotus read audience also information performance historical_work hellenistic_roman period come thucydides mainstream modern criticism assume history peloponnesian_war mean addressed read public circulate writing thucydides declaration work intend critical attitude_towards predecessor method objective appear support_idea hand look state oral culture time practice follow contemporary_later historian hypothesis would_make thucydides striking exception scholar generally concerned way thucydides differs earlier author concerned rather common them intention highlight inter_relationship work thucydides culture time inquiry conduct two_different