Hailing from a very wealthy family, he lived in Miletus, then under Persian rule in the satrapy of Lydia.[2] He was active during the time of the Greco-Persian Wars. After having travelled extensively, he settled in his native city, where he occupied a high position, and devoted his time to the composition of geographical and historical works. When Aristagoras, acting tyrant of Miletus, held a council of leading Ionians at Miletus to organize a revolt against Persian rule, Hecataeus tried in vain to dissuade his countrymen from the undertaking.[3] In 494 BC, when the defeated Ionians were obliged to sue for terms, he was one of the ambassadors to the Persian satrapArtaphernes, whom he persuaded to restore the constitution of the Ionic cities.[4] Hecataeus is the first known Greek historian[5] and was one of the first classical writers to mention the Celtic and Illyrian peoples. He is known as the "Father of Geography".
Works
Two works by Hecateus are known: Περίοδος γῆς (Periodos ges, "Journey round the Earth" or "World Survey") and Γενεαλογίαι (Genealogiai) or the Ἱστορία (Historia). However, they only survive in fragments.[6]
Periodos ges
Periodos ges was written in two books, the first on Europe, the second on Asia, in which he included Africa. The book is a comprehensive work on geography beginning at the Straits of Gibraltar and going clockwise ending at the Atlantic coast of Morocco following the coast of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Hecataeaus provides information about the people and places that would be encountered on a coastal voyage between these points, as well as the inhabitants of the various Mediterranean islands, the Scythians, Persia, India, Egypt and Nubia. Over 300 fragments of this work are preserved, mostly as citations for place names in the work of Stephanus of Byzantium.[7]
Genealogies
Hecataeus' other work was a book on mythography in four books. Less than forty fragments remain. He applied a more skeptical approach to the traditions of families who claimed to be descended from gods.[8]
One fragment that has survived is the opening "Hecataeus of Miletus thus speaks: I write what I deem true; for the stories of the Greeks are manifold and seem to me ridiculous."[9]
Herodotus (II, 143) tells a story of a visit by Hecataeus to an Egyptian temple at Thebes. It recounts how the priests showed Herodotus a series of statues in the temple's inner sanctum, each one supposedly set up by the high priest of each generation. Hecataeus, says Herodotus, had seen the same spectacle, after mentioning that he traced his descent, through sixteen generations, from a god. The Egyptians compared his genealogy to their own, as recorded by the statues; since the generations of their high priests had numbered three hundred and forty-five, all mortal men, they refused to believe Hecataeus's claim of descent from a god. Historian James Shotwell has called this encounter with the antiquity of Egypt an influence on Hecataeus's scepticism: he recognized that oral history is untrustworthy.[10][11]
Map
World map of Hecataeus
Besides his written works, Hecataeus is also credited with improving the map of Anaximander, which he saw as a disc encircled by Oceanus.[12]
Summary
He was probably the first of the logographers to attempt a serious prose history and to employ critical method to distinguish myth from historical fact, though he accepts Homer and other poets as trustworthy authorities. Herodotus, though he contradicts his statements at least once, is indebted to Hecataeus for the concept of a prose history.
^Dandamaev, M. A. (1989). A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire. BRILL. p. 153. ISBN978-9004091726. During the period of Achaemenid rule in Miletus, which was the most important city of Ionia, there lived the eminent philosopher Anaximander and the geographer and historian Hecataeus.
^Lamberg-Karlovsky, C. C.; Sabloff, Jeremy A. (1979). Ancient Civilizations: The Near East and Mesoamerica. Benjamin/Cummings. p. 5. ISBN9780805356724.
Lendering, Jona. "Hecataeus of Miletus". livius.org.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hecataeus of Miletus". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 193.
March 15, 2023
hecataeus, miletus, later, historian, this, name, hecataeus, abdera, greek, Ἑκαταῖος, Μιλήσιος, hegesander, early, greek, historian, geographer, bornc, miletus, balat, aydın, turkey, diedc, aged, scientific, careerfieldshistory, geography, contents, biography,. For the later historian of this name see Hecataeus of Abdera Hecataeus of Miletus ˌ h ɛ k e ˈ t iː e s Greek Ἑkataῖos ὁ Milhsios c 550 BC c 476 BC son of Hegesander was an early Greek historian and geographer 1 Hecataeus of MiletusBornc 550 BC Miletus now Balat Aydin Turkey Diedc 476 BC aged 74 Scientific careerFieldsHistory and geography Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Periodos ges 2 2 Genealogies 2 3 Map 3 Summary 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksBiography EditHailing from a very wealthy family he lived in Miletus then under Persian rule in the satrapy of Lydia 2 He was active during the time of the Greco Persian Wars After having travelled extensively he settled in his native city where he occupied a high position and devoted his time to the composition of geographical and historical works When Aristagoras acting tyrant of Miletus held a council of leading Ionians at Miletus to organize a revolt against Persian rule Hecataeus tried in vain to dissuade his countrymen from the undertaking 3 In 494 BC when the defeated Ionians were obliged to sue for terms he was one of the ambassadors to the Persian satrap Artaphernes whom he persuaded to restore the constitution of the Ionic cities 4 Hecataeus is the first known Greek historian 5 and was one of the first classical writers to mention the Celtic and Illyrian peoples He is known as the Father of Geography Works EditTwo works by Hecateus are known Periodos gῆs Periodos ges Journey round the Earth or World Survey and Genealogiai Genealogiai or the Ἱstoria Historia However they only survive in fragments 6 Periodos ges Edit Periodos ges was written in two books the first on Europe the second on Asia in which he included Africa The book is a comprehensive work on geography beginning at the Straits of Gibraltar and going clockwise ending at the Atlantic coast of Morocco following the coast of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Hecataeaus provides information about the people and places that would be encountered on a coastal voyage between these points as well as the inhabitants of the various Mediterranean islands the Scythians Persia India Egypt and Nubia Over 300 fragments of this work are preserved mostly as citations for place names in the work of Stephanus of Byzantium 7 Genealogies Edit Hecataeus other work was a book on mythography in four books Less than forty fragments remain He applied a more skeptical approach to the traditions of families who claimed to be descended from gods 8 One fragment that has survived is the opening Hecataeus of Miletus thus speaks I write what I deem true for the stories of the Greeks are manifold and seem to me ridiculous 9 Herodotus II 143 tells a story of a visit by Hecataeus to an Egyptian temple at Thebes It recounts how the priests showed Herodotus a series of statues in the temple s inner sanctum each one supposedly set up by the high priest of each generation Hecataeus says Herodotus had seen the same spectacle after mentioning that he traced his descent through sixteen generations from a god The Egyptians compared his genealogy to their own as recorded by the statues since the generations of their high priests had numbered three hundred and forty five all mortal men they refused to believe Hecataeus s claim of descent from a god Historian James Shotwell has called this encounter with the antiquity of Egypt an influence on Hecataeus s scepticism he recognized that oral history is untrustworthy 10 11 Map Edit World map of Hecataeus Besides his written works Hecataeus is also credited with improving the map of Anaximander which he saw as a disc encircled by Oceanus 12 Summary EditHe was probably the first of the logographers to attempt a serious prose history and to employ critical method to distinguish myth from historical fact though he accepts Homer and other poets as trustworthy authorities Herodotus though he contradicts his statements at least once is indebted to Hecataeus for the concept of a prose history References Edit Herodotus Book VI Section 137 Histories Dandamaev M A 1989 A Political History of the Achaemenid Empire BRILL p 153 ISBN 978 9004091726 During the period of Achaemenid rule in Miletus which was the most important city of Ionia there lived the eminent philosopher Anaximander and the geographer and historian Hecataeus Herodotus Histories Book 5 Sections 36 125 Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca historica 10 25 Lamberg Karlovsky C C Sabloff Jeremy A 1979 Ancient Civilizations The Near East and Mesoamerica Benjamin Cummings p 5 ISBN 9780805356724 Hecataeus in Oxford Classical Dictionary 3rd ed Oxford Oxford University Press 1999 pp 670 1 OCD3 p 671 OCD3 p 671 Shotwell 1922 p 138 Shotwell 1922 pp 139 140 The Ancient Greek Historians Bury John Bagnell NY Dover Publications 1958 pp 14 48 OCD3 p 671Sources EditHecataei Milesii Fragmenta Scylacis Caryandensis Periplus 1831 edition of Hecateus fragments from Google Books Shotwell James T 1922 The History of History NY Columbia University Press External links EditWiesehofer Joseph 2003 Hecataeus of Miletus Encyclopedia Iranica Online ed Lendering Jona Hecataeus of Miletus livius org Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Hecataeus of Miletus Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 13 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 193 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hecataeus of Miletus amp oldid 1111598210, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
