This thesis on ancient Greek intellectual and cultural history presents Herodotus (ca. 480s-420s BCE) and The Histories within the context of the fifth century BCE with the goal of better understanding Herodotus’s historical perspective. Two lenses of examination are especially helpful in this regard. Firstly, what did Herodotus hope to educate his audience about the Mediterranean past? Secondly, what did he intend his audience to learn from the past? As a historian of the known world, he brought consciousness of Hellenic and non-Hellenic cultures to his audience in Greece. Additionally, he recorded a detailed account of the recent Greco-Persian Wars (499-479 BCE), proposing to his audience the importance of international and intercultural respect. To avoid the imperialistic errors which led to the immense suffering of the Greco-Persian Wars, Herodotus advocated a worldview of mutual civility in his historical work of the 440s-420s BCE, for he understood Athens and its Periclean government to be the inheritor of those lessons. Therefore, he can be considered to be not only an early innovator in the development of Greek historiography but also an informed conscience for his generation who understood the dangers of Athenian imperialism through his research on a similar historical chain of events. Overall, the thesis contributes to the understanding of Greek intellectual history through a detailed analysis of the Herodotean views of past and present, especially demonstrating the ways in which modern historical disciplinary goals of the past advising and guiding the contemporary world continue to be relevant.

Dr. Douglas Boin, Wade Howdeshell’s faculty mentor in the History program, was a great help in guiding the research and editing process of this thesis. In sharing his expertise, knowledge, and time, he provided valuable mentorship for which Wade is forever grateful. Wade will always remember Dr. Boin’s brilliance and kindness, and he is so thankful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful mentor.