Lisa Irene Hau is Lecturer in Classics at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of Beyond the Battlefields: New Perspectives on Warfare and Society in the Graeco-Roman World (2008). She is a contributor to Defining Greek Narrative edited by Douglas Cairns and Ruth Scodel (EUP, 2014).
Moral History from Herodotus to Diodorus Siculus shows the
invigorating power of history for both ethical and political life.
Hau's novel, lucid, and cogent arguments should inspire students of
ancient political thought to widen their consideration of ancient
history even as it invigorates their moral lives towards nobler
exempla... Hau's trove of discoveries about the techniques and
strategies of these moral historians should hasten even more work
on the implications of these lessons for social and political life.
Moral History from Herodotus to Diodorus Siculus is certainly
invigorating.--Joel Alden Schlosser, Bryn Mawr College "POLIS, The
Journal for Ancient Greek Political Thought"
It has become a commonplace in modern scholarship to view the moral
and didactic aims of the ancient Greek historiographers as
something entirely separate from, and generally detrimental to, the
value of their works as history. In this groundbreaking book, Hau
seeks to challenge this pervasive assumption. She argues that it is
only by taking the 'moralizing impulse' in ancient historiography
seriously as a way to shape the events of the past into the
narrative form that is the most useful and relevant to their
intended readers that we can reach a full understanding of what the
ancient Greek historiographers were actually trying to achieve...
As Hau convincingly concludes: (1) moral didacticism and historical
explanation are not mutually exclusive, (2) moralizing was not
limited to those historians generally perceived as inferior (such
as Xenophon or the Hellenistic historians) but was a fundamental
component of ancient historiography from its very beginning and (3)
the moral basis of ancient historiography does not make it 'bad'
history but instead allows it to teach its readers valuable
universal truths.--Frances Powell, University of Alberta "Journal
of Hellenistic Studies"
The bibliography, the place index, and the general index (p.
278-312) round off the book, which is also designed in a
graphically appealing manner. Overall, Hau's comprehensive work
provides thought-provoking and interesting suggestions. (Translated
from the German)--Carlo Scardino, Heinrich-Heine-Universit�t
D�sseldorf "Bryn Mawr Classical Review"
This volume, from which I personally have learned a great deal, is
a tremendous achievement and can be recommended to all readers. To
conclude, it must be reiterated that the author demonstrates a
wonderful grasp of ancient Greek historiography as a whole and an
astonishing knowledge of the modern scholarship. This very coherent
book would and will form an excellent introduction to ancient Greek
historiography for any graduate student, in particular as it offers
a complete bibliography for further research.--Edith Foster,
University of Queensland "Histos"
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