The emergence of Ancient Greek historical thought and the Archaic Ionian science
https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2021-4-10-29
Abstract
Ancient Greek historical thought came into existence in the 6th century B.C. It was the period when two tendencies, the rationalist and mystic ones, struggled with each other in the Hellenic Weltanschauung (world view). Early historians were influenced both by the latter and – especially – by the former, which gave birth to the Archaic Ionian science (Thales, Anaximander). The paper shows that the influence of natural scientists upon historiographers manifested itself, for instance, in the fact that from the works of the latter, starting with Hecataeus, lacked parts devoted to theogony disappear (in Acusilaus, such a part was still present). The author also traces the serious interest in geography among both Greek natural philosophers and first historians. Anaximander made the earliest in Greece geographical map and Hecataeus improved it. The historians of the first generations after Hecateus can be divided into two groups: those who, like Hecateus, had a special interest not only in history, but also in geography, and those who did not. The second group includes the Athenian Ferekides and Gellanik. As for the first group, Charon of Lampsak and Damast of Sigei can be added to it – this line comes up to Herodotus.
Keywords
Archaic Ionian science,
rationalism,
history,
mythography,
theogony,
geography,
Acusilaus,
Hecataeus
Supporting agencies: This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project no. 19-09-00022.
About the Author
I. E. Surikov
Institute of World History, Russian Academy of Sciences; Russian State University for the Humanities
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Igor E. Surikov, Dr. of Sci. (History), professor
bld. 32a, Leninskii Av., Moscow, 119334
Moscow, bld. 6, Miusskaya Sq.
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Review
For citations:
Surikov I.E. The emergence of Ancient Greek historical thought and the Archaic Ionian science. RSUH/RGGU Bulletin: “Literary Teory. Linguistics. Cultural Studies”, Series. 2021;(4):10-29. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.28995/2686-7249-2021-4-10-29
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