Histories
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Histories by Herodotus comes up on Hardcore History and The Rest Is History, including episode with Ben van Kerkwyk, with transcript quotes, timestamps, and episode context.
Histories by Herodotus appears 7 times across 7 podcast episodes on 4 shows, with transcript quotes and timestamps.
“Our main source of information about events is the description by the final victor, Darius, who was not a legitimate successor to the throne.”
Why people keep bringing this up
Herodotus’ Histories appears repeatedly in Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History because the episodes draw on its narrative passages when reconstructing the early Persian kings. Show 56, Kings Of Kings, highlights a Herodotean account of the rise of Cyrus, calling it “one of Herodotus' best stories,” and credits Herodotus with offering “insights into the events and the worldview of his time.” Those remarks explain why the work is invoked as a source of memorable storytelling and cultural perspective in the series.
The program also treats Herodotus as a work shaped by its sources. In Show 57, Kings Of Kings II, the host notes that material “was also spread throughout the empire, in Aramaic translation on papyri, and possibly Herodotus used one of these as the basis for the story he told in his histories.” That emphasis on transmission and source-basis makes Herodotus useful to the podcast both for narrative content and for discussing how ancient accounts reached later writers and listeners.
The host discusses Herodotus's unique perspective as a historian who encompasses a global view, contrasting him with Thucydides. This mention highlights the significance of Herodotus's work, 'Histories,' as a foundational text in the development of historical method and ethnography.
The host mentions 'The Histories' by Herodotus to illustrate the cyclical nature of empires and the awareness of Romans regarding their own potential decline. Herodotus' insights into the rise and fall of powers resonate with the historical context of Rome's fears and aspirations.
The host discusses the contrasting narratives of historical events, particularly the Battle of Thermopylae, and highlights Herodotus's storytelling as a significant departure from other historical accounts. This mention serves to illustrate the importance of narrative style in shaping our understanding of history.
Recent show rotation: Hardcore History, The Rest Is History, and The Joe Rogan Experience.
Guests tied to these mentions include Ben van Kerkwyk.
Fastest path back to the source: the strongest indexed mention lands at 53:00 in the episode where we captured it.
Quick FAQ
Answers to common book, episode, podcast, and guest questions.
Which episode mentioned Histories?
Show 57 Kings Of Kings Ii on Hardcore History is one of the clearest indexed episodes that mentioned Histories by Herodotus. Other indexed episodes include 330: Herodotus: The Birth of History on The Rest Is History and 156. When did the Roman Empire fall? on The Rest Is History. The first indexed transcript timestamp lands at 53:00.
Which podcast mentioned Histories?
Hardcore History, The Rest Is History, and The Joe Rogan Experience are the main indexed podcasts currently tied to Histories by Herodotus.
Who mentioned Histories on podcasts?
Ben van Kerkwyk is the main guest currently tied to mentioning Histories by Herodotus.
Why do podcast guests bring up Histories?
The host discusses Herodotus's unique perspective as a historian who encompasses a global view, contrasting him with Thucydides. This mention highlights the significance of Herodotus's work, 'Histories,' as a foundational text in the development of historical method and ethnography. It most often appears in conversations about Herodotus and history, Rise and fall of empires, and Greek and Persian wars.
Mentions across episodes
Every mention card links back to the episode page and exact transcript anchor.
“It was also spread throughout the empire, in Aramaic translation on papyri, and possibly Herodotus used one of these as the basis for the story he told in his histories.”
“Herodotus speaks to people who had taken part in the events of the Persian invasion, marking the birth of historical method and the creation of history.”
“Herodotus, the very first historian in the opening of his book, he says that, you know, powers that were great are now small and vice versa.”
“Herodotus describes the grandeur of the labyrinth, stating it surpasses the pyramids in labor and expense compared to all Greek temples.”
“One of Herodotus' best stories is about the rise of Cyrus, and he provides insights into the events and the worldview of his time.”
“It's funny, it's The Histories. It sounds like it's-- it sounds more academic than it is, it's really cool, man. He's kinda sarcastic as he's relaying the history of all these various empires.”
“The first history book, which the speaker finds incredible despite its inaccuracies.”