Hecataeus of Miletus
The ancient Greek historian and geographer Hecataeus of Miletus (Greek Ἑκαταῖος; Latin Hecataeus ), son of Sandro Hege, looked at Miletus about 560-480 BC
In ancient times, as now, was and Hecataeus of Miletus is often confused with Hecataeus of Abdera, who lived about two centuries after Hecataeus of Miletus and has written historical besides also works on Homer and Hesiod.
Work
Hecataeus of Miletus undertook to find in the course of his life numerous research trips to Europe, Asia and Egypt. His practical knowledge acquired geographical allowed him to improve not preserved global map of Anaximander so much that later ancient sources claimed, " that it was too short of a miracle ." Other experts, however, to write to him to have upgraded the existing map of the world, especially through its extensive commentary work.
He wrote a geographically and historically for its time rather exact itinerary ( Periegesis, Greek Περιήγησις; German " outline ") of the earth known to him. He reasoned thus even often cultivated in ancient Greece literary genre. Its approximately 300 fragments preserved, purely descriptive report was widely cited by Herodotus.
Furthermore, he created with the existing four books work that later as genealogiai (Greek Γενεαλογίαι ) was known, the oldest surviving Greek history book. It thus marks the beginning of a history, for the existence of a historical consciousness had to be formed, which is based on the foundation of a space-time knowledge. In his historical work, however, only tentative beginnings of a rational examination of the truth content of time-honored traditions of mythical encountered. By no means it provides all content or even the tradition of myths in question, but he tries to debunk the fairy-tale, exaggerated, improbable in them. Ultimately, his criticism is superficial and a distinction between fiction and historical fact remains his task still fails. Nevertheless, he stands at the beginning of a rationalist approach that in the works of Herodotus and especially Thucydides was continued. It becomes clear the new in his quest also by the fact that he is an unbound prose in the Ionic dialect served instead of a bound lyric language.
Hecataeus is one of the first classical writers who mentioned the Celts in their writings (see also Nyrax ).
Effect and reputation
In the research is still controversial, as the relationship between Hecataeus ' writings and histories of Herodotus is to be evaluated. According to the sources, both scholars are said to have traveled extensively in the ancient Near East and North Africa and to the knowledge gained thereby have inserted in their geographical writings. Whether these statements are true in all respects, can not be answered unequivocally.
As regards the alleged rational presentation of history say some scholars, Hecataeus have kept the stories of Homer for credible in all respects documents. He was derogatory from Thucydides to the so-called logographers counted the precursors of history and geography. Modern research, however, emphasizes that the critical attitude of Hecataeus for the development of later historiography was of great importance.
At the time of the Ionian revolt of 500 BC to 494 BC Hecataeus is described by Herodotus as a warning political adviser ( Hdt. V 36). The writing in the Roman Empire Diodorus reported that he was one of the ambassadors to the suppression of this revolt that this persuaded the Persian satrap Artaphernes, the Ionian cities to return their old law.
The lunar crater Hecataeus, the southeast of the Mare Fecunditatis and northwest is located in the region of Mare Australe, was named after Hecataeus.
Text output
- Rudolf Heinrich Klausen (eds.): Hecataei Milesii fragmentary. Scylacis Caryandensis Periplus. G. Reimer, Berlin 1831 ( digitized ).
- Karl Theodor Müller ( ed.): Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum. Vol 1, Paris 1841.
- Karl Theodor Müller ( ed.): Fragmenta Historicorum Graecorum. Vol 4, Paris, 1851.
- Giuseppe Nenci (ed.): Hecataei milesi Fragmenta ( = Biblioteca di studi superiori XXII Filologia Greca. ). Florence in 1954.
- Felix Jacoby (ed.): The fragments of the Greek historians. Genealogy and mythography: A. preface, text, Addenda, concordance. Vol 1.1, Leiden 1957.
- Felix Jacoby (ed.): The fragments of the Greek historians. Genealogy and mythography: as comment, supplements. Vol 1.2, Leiden 1957.
- Robert Fowler (ed.): Early Greek mythography. Text. Volume I, Oxford 2000, ISBN 0,198,147,406th