Authority and Tradition in Ancient Historiography

Download or read book Authority and Tradition in Ancient Historiography written by John Marincola and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1997-07-24 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a study of the various claims to authority made by the ancient Greek and Roman historians throughout their histories and is the first to examine all aspects of the historian's self-presentation. It shows how each historian claimed veracity by imitating, modifying, and manipulating the traditions established by his predecessors. Beginning with a discussion of the tension between individuality and imitation, it then categorises and analyses the recurring style used to establish the historian's authority: how he came to write history; the qualifications he brought to the task; the inquiries and efforts he made in his research; and his claims to possess a reliable character. By detailing how each historian used the tradition to claim and maintain his own authority, the book contributes to a better understanding of the complex nature of ancient historiography.