Herodotus | The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples | A Review
Herodotus The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples A Review
Herodotus ‘The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples’-A Review
“The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples” is a book by Herodotus, a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BCE. The book is a collection of ethnographic descriptions of various peoples that Herodotus encountered or heard about in his travels. The book is divided into several sections, each describing a different group of people and their customs.
Overall, the book provides valuable insights into the cultural practices and beliefs of ancient peoples, and it is a fascinating read for anyone interested in history or anthropology. However, it is important to keep in mind that Herodotus was writing from a distinctly Greek perspective, and his descriptions of other cultures are often colored by his own biases and prejudices.
One of the most interesting aspects of the book “The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples” is the way that Herodotus describes the religious practices of the various peoples he encounters. He describes the gods and goddesses that they worship, as well as their rituals and beliefs. For example, he describes the Egyptians’ elaborate funeral customs, which involved mummifying the body and burying it with various offerings and possessions. He also describes the Persians’ belief in a single god, whom they called Ahura Mazda.
Herodotus also describes the political systems and social customs of the various people he encounters. For example, he describes the Scythians’ practice of drinking the blood of their enemies and the Hyperboreans’ annual sacrifice of a young man. He also describes the way that the Persian Empire was organized, with its system of satraps and the royal road that connected its various provinces.
One of the challenges of reading the book is that Herodotus is not always reliable in his descriptions. He often repeats hearsay and legends without critical examination, and his accounts of some events and customs are likely to be exaggerated or incorrect. For example, he describes the gold-digging ants of India, which were said to live in the desert and to gather gold dust from underground. While this is undoubtedly a fanciful tale, it does provide insight into the way that ancient peoples understood the natural world.
Another issue with the book is that it reflects the biases of its time and author. Herodotus was writing at a time when Greece was at war with the Persian Empire, and his descriptions of the Persians are often negative and critical. He also tends to view other cultures through a Greek lens, and his descriptions of their customs and beliefs are often compared to those of the Greeks. 0 0 0.
Herodotus The Customs of Various Barbaric Peoples A Review
N.B. The article originally belongs to the book entitled ‘Reviews of Some Iconic Travelogues‘ by Menonim Menonimus.
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