Greek and Roman Historians: Information and Misinformation 1st Edition by Michael Grant (PDF)

Description

It is today widely accepted that we do not get the whole truth from any historian. Greek and Roman Historians considers the work of ancient historians such as Herotudus, Tacitus and Thucydides in the the light of this attitude. In an enlightening new study, Michael Grant argues that misinformation, even deliberate disinformation, is abundant in their writings.Grant, one of the world’s greatest writers of ancient history, suggests new ways of reading and interpreting the ancient historians which maximise their usefulness as source material. He demonstrates how the evidence they provide can be augmented by the use of other, literary and non-literary, sources.Greek and Roman Historians shows us how we can use written history to learn about the ancient world, even if our conclusions are not those its historians intended. The author argues that their work remains our most important source of information, once we have learned to question and incorporate their imperfect regard for the truth.Grant’s account is an indispensible guide to the sources and their interpretation for all students of ancient history.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Grant’s book is short. You’ll get through it in a week if you read everyday for a while. It’s very dry. It’s information is extremely useful and straight to the point. He tells you what the scholarly notes on this and that are and then moves on. He draws out some conclusions for you so there’s not much in here that requires outside reading or should be over the heads of the casual reader. Albeit, the casual reader will not want to read this. This will probably interest someone trying to learn about history. For me, I am very interested in critically examining the books of the Bible, so this helped greatly.

⭐So very often we find extensive verbatim quotes from ancient historians uncritically cited as if “gospel”. Grant takes a hard look at their writings and gives us pause where other modern historians fail to do so.

⭐Product arrived on time and the seller was great to work with. Product arrived in the condition described, would gladly do business with again.

⭐I don’t know how I missed this one for so long. It’s the best reference on the lives and works from Herodotus to most, if not all, known historians. Major historians such as Thucydides, Tacitus and Josephus are covered along with the lesser knowns, Sallust, Dio Cassius and and a number who’s works have been lost. It covers the life and times of each with an analysis of his work and philosophy. No doubt Grant has done readings in most, if not all, of them. He analyzes each writer in the light of modern historical knowledge. As the prime example, he surprisingly admires Herodotus, ‘the father of history’, more as a literary writer than as a historian. Grant points out biases since, as with moderns, it’s impossible to be completely unbiased. There are mistakes as the ancients didn’t have as much information as modern historians. Grant justifies reading ancient historians as literature rather than history. Not many of us would have need to trace original sources. Other ancient sources of literature and archeology are cited and Grant underwrites his extensive knowledge of coinage. This is a very enjoyable read, packing much information and philosophy of history into a short volume.

⭐Hit him quoting too much misinformation as fact. A work for undergraduates completing a minor at best.

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