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THUCYDIDES & TACITUS.   Term Paper ID:26023 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Compares ancient historians' approach to their subjects, styles, biases, narratives.... More...

5 Pages / 1125 Words 2 sources, 7 Citations, MLA Format $20.00 Return to List of Papers

Paper Abstract: Compares ancient historians' approach to their subjects, styles, biases, narratives. Paper Introduction: The Greeks invented history as it would develop in Western thought, and different early historians approached the issue of history in different ways. The approach taken often depended on whether they were eyewitnesses or reporting what others told them, on their skill as writers, and on whether they offer judgments about the history they recount or only tell the stories as they know them. Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian War and its consequences in a way that would speak to future generations, and he did so from the point of view of an eyewitness and participant. Tacitus examined history in terms of individuals and groups, offering as much cultural as historical analysis, and reporting on people he knew, letting them tell their own stories through him. The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta was an Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Tacitus writes in a different style form Thucydides. The Agricola and the Germania. The approach taken often depended on whether they were eyewitnessesor reporting what others told them, on their skill as writers, and onwhether they offer judgments about the history they recount or only tellthe stories as they know them. Thucydides writes his history in chronological order, and he does soin a manner more like the method of a reporter than a historian. Thucydides discusses his historical method and related issues in theearly section, known as the "Archaeology" section. New York: Random House, 1982. Tacitus tells the story in the way he wishes, not always in achronological manner, and often detouring into descriptions and analyses ofthe people or issues he raises. He discusses various Germanic tribes andrates their fighting ability, showing that this is one of his primaryconcerns: Other tribes may be seen going forth to battle; the Chatti come out for a campaign. Peoplelisten to stories, to the epics, to poetry, to drama, and accept thesestories as if they were fact, failing to examine and test one against theother to ascertain the truth. He writes ahistory in a similar vein to that of Thucydides in that he was himselfpresent at some of the events and has otherwise spoken to those who were,again giving this history a tinge of journalism as well as biography andhistoricism. The early portion where herecounts the ancient history of Greece differs in that he did not see theseevents personally and is instead retelling the accepted historical facts.Thucydides also offers considerable detail, analyzing not only events onthe battlefield but the political arguments taking place elsewhere. He is conscious of the need to tell the story in alogical manner and states, "The history follows the chronological order ofevents by summers and winters" (Thucydides 87). Some tribes also fight from chariots. Tacitus shows his biases throughout, and some of what he writes issuspect as far as accuracy is concerned because he seems to accept certainideas without offering or analyzing evidence. New York: Penguin, 197 .Thucydides. The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta was an event that hadmajor consequences for the development of the ancient world, with thedetails of this war reported to the ages by the historian Thucydides. Tacitus, onthe other hand, tends toward shorter sentences and more direct, declarativestatements, building a picture through the accretion of one sentence afteranother, one fact after another. He shows a journalistictendency in that he started to write about the war as soon as it started,claiming that he expected it would turn out to be a great war and so onethat would deserve to be recorded (Thucydides writes of himself in thethird person): "The preparations of both the combatants were in everydepartment in the last state of perfection; and he could see the rest ofthe Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel, those who delayed doing soat once having it in contemplation" (1). Tacitus states in "The Agricola" that he is celebrating the life of aman who lived through a time that did not serve such men well. The nobleman drives, his dependents fight in his defense (Tacitus 62). His analysis of the German people in "Germania" similarly isa contemporary history of a people he can observe. This is evident in his description of theGauls: Their strength is in their infantry. In the main, though, he writes a nearlyanthropological account of the life of the German people in his own timeand so speaks to future generations as a reporter of events, showing thathistory can capture a moment as well as attempting to relate that moment toan earlier time. He helped developthe idea of what history means through the method he used, which included aphilosophical element that tried to explain events and relate them to alarger consciousness of the world and of human aspirations. Such evidence often cannot be tested. Works CitedTacitus. The Greeks invented history as it would develop in Western thought,and different early historians approached the issue of history in differentways. In the Germania, Tacitus seems to be celebrating theadvancement of the German people, but inherent in this discussion is hisfear that the Germans could become powerful enough to threaten Rome and sothat they need to be watched. Thucydides writes a morereliable history, a history shaped by journalistic tendencies. He keeps valuejudgments to a minimum. Thucydides realizes that it isimportant to know why these events came to pass and so to look to the erabefore the war, perhaps some distance back in time. Thereare also biases that creep into such accounts, as Thucydides notes whenstating that people always see the war they are fighting as the greatestone ever (Thucydides 12). In sodoing, Thucydides is always fair and presents the arguments offered by bothside,s though he fought on the side of Athens himself. They seldom engage in swift rushes or in casual fighting--tactics which properly belong to cavalry, with its quick successes and quick retreats (Tacitus 127). Both men can be consideredhistorians, but Thucydides is more trustworthy as a historian. Hisapproach to history would influence later writers and continue to stand asone of the most important histories of the Greek world. Thucydidestends to write lengthy sentences that go on a long as needed to describethe events taking place and to link related issues and events. Doing so is moredifficult because he was not present for those earlier events, but hestates that he has looked into the evidence to the degree possible and isconfident that he knows what was, and was not important (1). Tacitus ismore biased and less reliable as a result. The Trojan War has beenrecorded by Homer and is embodied in a wide variety of other sorts ofwritings, but these do not constitute history, being instead literaturebecause they lack the necessary historical analysis. Thucydides says ofthe historical method that it involves doing something other than what mostpeople do--they take in stories of the past without testing them. Much of his history is sociological innature as he tries to create a picture of a given people--the Britons, theGauls, the Germans--always showing how they are superior enough to be goodadversaries but inferior still to the Roman people and to Romancivilization. He does mix myth withhistory, as when he notes that the German people were reportedly visited byHercules (Tacitus 1 3). The Peloponnesian War. He keepsa journal of everything he sees and hears, but he also offers informedanalysis of events. Thucydides wrote about the PeloponnesianWar and its consequences in a way that would speak to future generations,and he did so from the point of view of an eyewitness and participant.Tacitus examined history in terms of individuals and groups, offering asmuch cultural as historical analysis, and reporting on people he knew,letting them tell their own stories through him. This early section includes a reconstruction of the prehistory ofGreece, and this alone shows some of the characteristics that Thucydideswould ascribe to history and the study of history. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.