Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China
A Brief History with DocumentsFirst Edition| ©2010 Thomas R. Martin
ISBN:9781319242879
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ISBN:9780312416492
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In this accessible volume, Thomas R. Martin compares the writings of Herodotus in ancient Greece with those of Sima Qian in ancient China to demonstrate the hallmarks of early history writing. While these authors lived in different centuries and were not aware of each other’s works, Martin shows the similar struggles that each grappled with in preparing their historical accounts and how their efforts helped invent modern notions of history writing and the job of the historian. The introduction’s cross-cultural analysis includes a biography of each author, illustrating the setting and times in which he worked, as well as a discussion of how each man introduced interpretation and moral judgment into his writing. The accompanying documents include excerpts from Herodotus’ The Histories and Sima Qian’s Shiji, which illustrate their approach to history writing and their understanding of their own cultures. Also featured are maps and illustrations, a chronology, questions to consider, and a selected bibliography.
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"This is a first-class collection of primary sources that provides biographical summaries of what is known about the lives of these two very significant ancient historians, places their lives in the appropriate context, outlines the historiographical significance of The Histories and the Shiji, and offers an insightful analysis of the methodologies and intentions of the two."–– Craig Benjamin, Grand Valley State University
![Cover: Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China, 1st Edition by Thomas R. Martin](http://prod-cat-files.macmillan.cloud/MediaResources/Jackets/258W/9780312416492.jpg)
Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China
First Edition| ©2010
Thomas R. Martin
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Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China
First Edition| 2010
Thomas R. Martin
Table of Contents
The Form and Content of Herodotus’ Historical Work
Length and Complexity of the Narrative
Objectivity of Evidence and Subjectivity of Interpretation
The Form and Content of Sima Qian’s Historical Work
Chronologies of the Lives and Works of Herodotus and
Questions for Consideration
Selected Bibliography
![Cover: Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China, 1st Edition by Thomas R. Martin](http://prod-cat-files.macmillan.cloud/MediaResources/Jackets/258W/9780312416492.jpg)
Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China
First Edition| 2010
Thomas R. Martin
Authors
![Headshot of Thomas R. Martin](http://prod-cat-files.macmillan.cloud/MediaResources/Authors/207W/4747.jpg)
Thomas R. Martin
Thomas R. Martin (PhD., Harvard University) is Jeremiah O’Connor Professor in Classics at the College of the Holy Cross. He is the author of several books including Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, and most recently Pericles: A Biography in Context. He was one of the originators of the Perseus Digital Library (www.perseus.tufts.edu).
![Cover: Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China, 1st Edition by Thomas R. Martin](http://prod-cat-files.macmillan.cloud/MediaResources/Jackets/258W/9780312416492.jpg)
Herodotus and Sima Qian: The First Great Historians of Greece and China
First Edition| 2010
Thomas R. Martin
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