The Way of Herodotus - travels with the man who invented history
by Marozzi, Justin
pub. by Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group NY. 2008       isbn 978-0-306-81621-5 - - Maps p. xvi-xvii - - black and white photos between p. 174 and 175 - - Bibliography p. 327-333 - - Index p. 335-348 - - 348 p. total
- The author travels to many of the places mentioned in the Histories by Herodotus.
He starts out describing current and historical views on Herodotus, most not complimentary. Then travels to modern places which were were described in antquity. First Turkey Halicarnassus, now called Bodrum (where the Inst. of Nautical Archeology has its Turkish headquarters.)
Then off to Iraq and Babylon in the midst of the occupation after the war. (In 2004)
Third to Egypt where Marozzi had a number of enlightening contacts. He got a snapshot of Egypt just before the Arab Spring difficulties. As did Herodotus he had conversations with the mdern equivalent of the priestky leadership, including a short interview with the Grand Mufti. Both Herodotus and Marozzi visited Siwa in the desert west of thr Nile. It was a place differedt from Egyption society in both Herodotus and Marozzis time. Egypt was Persian administered when Herodotus visited.
Fourth he traveled to Greece. Athens and an internaqtional conference (Greece and Turkey) was included Then Greece in general, followed by northeastern (Thessaloniki) where Greek beets Turk and cohabits with some difficulty and the long Ottoman occupation is specially remembered. A visit to Cyprus also illustrates current Greek/Turkish tensions. There is the haiographic visit to the home of Sir Patric Leigh Fermor, WWII hero and writer.
Lastly Marozzi visited the island of Samos, the most eastern place which is a part of Greece, and is only 11 miles from the Turkish coast. He investigates a long tunnel there - the tunnel of Eupalinos which was built under the reign of tyrent Polycrates to bring water to town to insure it could not be starved out. Marozzi also had a meeting with the local leader of the Greek Orthodox Church which included an ordination.

It is a fun read which says something about Herodotus and his times, also a lot about current conditions (in 2007), which is what Herodotus did for the area during his times.

~ 2017-01-25 ~

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