Classical Athens: How Does Herodotus Present the Persians?

How Does Herodotus Present the Persians?
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(Date of submission) How Does Herodotus Present the Persians? Originally from the city of Greek in the Persian kingdom, Herodotus became a famous author and historian in his own right. He extensively researched and wrote about the Persian traditions and beliefs, but he focused primarily on their religion. He claimed that the Persians had no images or altars in his writings. However, they offered sacrifices to the moon, the sun, the earth, and other natural elements that they considered sacred until they reached an advanced period when they started to adore Urania. The Persians learned about Urania from the Arabians and Assyrians as a custom. The aim of the paper is to discuss and analyze how Herodotus presents the Persians, their customs, feasts, and other values that influenced their lives. Presentation of Persians by Herodotus According to Herodotus, Persians enjoyed substantial meals and sweetened substances. Therefore, Herodotus presents Persians as people who loved feasting, particularly during birthdays. They drank a lot of wine and spent their time debating weight-loss difficulties with friends in their stupor. When people of comparable social standing met, they kissed on the lips, while those perceived inferior were kissed on the cheeks. In cases when the gap was significant, the subordinates prostrated on the ground. As Herodotus notes, this aspect was exhibited by Persians who were under the Medes’ control. On matters of religion and traditions, Persians regarded conditions like leprosy as taboo in their cities. When a male person dies, he or she is never buried unless animals rip them. After the body is ripped by animals, it is covered in wax before being buried in the ground. The Magi acted as priests in the Persian society, but they were very different compared to other nations such as Egypt. Herodotus also notes that Persians lacked images of gods, shrines, or altars. They strongly believed that the presence of such things was foolishness. Further, Persians believed that gods were not similar to humanity, contrary to the beliefs of Greeks. They would make pilgrimages to mountain peaks to offer sacrifices to Zeus, also known as the “Great God.” Zeus was regarded as the powerful God who represented “the whole circuit of the firmament.” Herodotus also notes that Persians offered “to the sun and moon, to the earth, to fire, to water, and to the winds.” The religious and cultural practices among the Persians were usually passed through the generations. At a later period, as Herodotus notes, Persians started to worship Urania. Urania was a goddess from the Arabians and Assyrians. While worshipping the gods, Persians never raised an altar, never played flutes, were adorned by chaplets and lacked consecrated barley cakes. In this case, there were no altars, so the man who wanted to offer sacrifices brought his sacrifice to an unpolluted ground, and he was allowed to call on the name of the deity at that place. The person sacrificing is allowed to pray for benedictions on himself and to request the well-being of the emperor and the whole Persian population. He then slices the sacrificed animal into pieces, boils the flesh, and spreads it on tender herbs or branches, after which a group of magi appears and performs a hymn. The hymn chronicles are the origin of the gods before the ritual is completed. For the event to be legal, a Magus must be present. After a period, the sacrificer takes the flesh of the animal with him and uses it for any purpose he sees fit. Through this perspective, Herodotus presents the Persians as religious people who had a unique form of worship. While they disregarded altars and other forms of worship prominent in other nations, they acknowledged the presence of deities. Another aspect that Herodotus highlights is the importance of birthdays for Persians. There were celebrations on birthdays despite the time or season of the year. While organizing birthdays, diverse materials would be provided, which would ensure that people enjoy themselves maximally. Herodotus notes that wealthy Persians have an ox, a horse, and a camel cooked whole and served. On the other hand, lower-class Persians celebrated with smaller cattle breeds. During birthdays, people consumed abundant solid meals with many desserts set on the table a few plates at a time. This aspect differentiated them from the Greeks, who did not have any desserts after feasting on meat. Therefore, the Persians are presented as civilized people who only ate what they were capable of containing. They were never greedy and were forbidden from overeating. Even during the feasts, it is still unacceptable for the people “to vomit or obey natural calls in the presence of another.” This aspect affirms the civilized nature of the Persians compared to the Greeks and other people of their times. As they were feasting, they would engage in debates and other important issues affecting their communities. Therefore, it can be clearly seen that Persians valued their communal or societal harmony. Herodotus notes that the issues agreed on during the debates would be reviewed later when the people were sober. The members of the debate would approve or discard the outcome of the debate. However, more than any other people, the Persians are welcoming of foreign practices. Most dressed like the Medes and believed that it was more beautiful than their own. Their luxury traditions are diverse and derived from other cultures: the Greeks taught them pederasty. Every Persian has many legal wives, and he also has a large number of concubines. Their reception of foreign ideals affirms that Persians were civilized and aimed to live in harmony with others. People with many sons were regarded as powerful and received gifts from the king each year. This was an aspect that showcased the power and ability of the Persian people. Therefore, Herodotus presented Persians as people who believed and cherished their progeny. Sons were trained on issues related to fighting, riding, and being honest. These were important values in Persian society. Therefore, Herodotus captures the most important aspects that defined their way of life and how they interacted with each other. One of the apparent values is how they interacted with each other and valued communal collaboration. On the matter of children growing up, children were never allowed to come close to their fathers until age five. This was an important practice that ensured the father was never affected by the loss of the child. As Herodotus presents, Persians valued the men in the society. It was their primary source of power and prowess and wanted them to remain resolute. Moreover, it shows that Persians expected their men not to be emotional but act objectively and logically. Persians also had a very high level of morality that defined their interactions in society. For example, it was vital to avoid engaging in or talking about unlawful activity. The male members of the society were trained on how to act with integrity and never engage in lies. Another aspect that was never cherished in society was accumulating debts. It was assumed that the debtor was always obliged to lie. Therefore, it was essential to avoid taking debts and safeguard one’s reputation as an honest citizen of the Persian society. There were clear rules that demarcated the boundaries and extent of engagement. For example, as leprosy was regarded as a taboo, people affected by the condition were not allowed to enter the city or engage in business with Persians. Leprosy victims were regarded as sinners and were never allowed to engage in any dealings in Persia. With these laws, Herodotus presents Persians as an organized society strictly guided by rules. These rules were essential to maintain order in society. They also ensured that people were protected from unlawful individuals or actions. Another aspect captured in Herodotus’ writings regards the Persian Wars, which narrates the struggle to expand the Persian Empire. The war narration captures the important events and aspects of the Persian people within the period. Through the narrative, Herodotus presents the issues that led to the Persian Wars. The scandals occurred in a palace in Lydia, showcasing how the monarchy of Lydia changed from the reigning emperor, who was related to Hercules. After the scandal, Gyges became the Lydian monarchy. Through the narrative, ...