The Reasons for Herodotus' Criticisms

A Detail from Herodotus
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A Detail from Herodotus
Over the years, there have been various reputable and renowned novelists and writers who have used their literary prowess to not only highlight several societal issues but also to expound on some historical facts. One notable book is the Histories that was written by Herodotus and is widely acclaimed to be founding work of history in Western literature. It was purposely written to preserve traces of human events and to prevent them from being erased over time. Herodotus, who is fondly known as the Father of History, purported to expound on the origins of the hostilities between the Greeks and Persians/ non-Greeks. Despite the vivid accounts, facts and themes that Herodotus highlights concerning the conflict including the possible causes of the war, he is highly criticized for not only his cultural digressions but also travel sidebars. Consequently, he has also earned the title father of lies. There is a section in the book where Herodotus provides basic history of Egypt. He engages in private speculation through the provision of scientific facts such as the origins of the Nile and the existence of scary animals in cats, crocodiles and pythons. In so doing, Herodotus digresses from the major theme of the book.
The Histories by Herodotus should have majorly focused on the conflict between the Greeks and Persians as opposed to travel sidebars in regions such as Egypt. Part two of the book focuses almost entirely on the basic history of Egypt. Herodotus attempts to expound on the origins of the country and ultimately settles on the fact that it existed because of the Nile (Marincola & De Selincourt, 2003). According to Herodotus, the Nile is a major water source that runs all year round and ...