Herodotus on Egyptian Culture, Religion, and Mummification

Introduction: Herodotus as a Historian

Herodotus was a Greek historian widely regarded as "the father of history." He was the first writer in the course of European history to use the word history in the same meaning associated with the word today. Born in Halicarnassus, an ancient Greek city in southwest Asia Minor in present-day Turkey, little is known of his personal life beyond what is reflected in his writings, most notably the Suda. His classical work was perhaps the first comprehensive attempt to record secular narrative history, and it also marked a turning point in the tradition of Western historical writing. He was the first writer to evaluate geographical, archaeological, and historical material critically.

Though his primary emphasis was on Greek civilizations and the Persian Wars, he also recorded fascinating histories of Egypt, Thrace, and Babylon, including detailed studies of the pyramids and important historical events. His work is significant and precious not only for its accuracy but also for the diversity of information it preserves, all presented in a fascinatingly simple style of writing:

"Herodotus of Halicarnassus here displays his inquiry, so that human achievements may not be forgotten in time, and great and marvelous deeds — some displayed by Greeks, some by barbarians (non-Greeks) — may not be without their glory." (Herodotus 1.23)

He was, in this sense, dedicated to the task of preserving human glory. His style is essentially simple, lucid, and straightforward, and it is rich with literary flair — an achievement in itself, given that it constitutes the first literary prose ever written in Europe.

Egyptian Culture in Light of Herodotus's Works

Herodotus had strong religious inclinations. A sense of the divine pervaded and permeated his thinking, and therefore he wrote extensively about oracles and signs. His works on foreign or "Barbarian" lands mainly attempt to link the gods of those peoples with those of the Greeks. His second book, in particular, is full of constant efforts to prove an Egyptian origin for many Greek divinities. Critically, historians regard this religious inclination as a drawback — an inadequacy that prevented Herodotus from clearly portraying the events of his time. His being Greek also carries certain repercussions, though it must be noted that his defects are largely the defects of his race and time. However, unlike most Greeks, he is willing to praise what is admirable among the Barbarians, which makes him fairer-minded than many of his contemporaries.

Herodotus's writings, particularly Histories Book 2, laid down a foundation for ethnology in Western historical writing. In it, Herodotus captures the religious beliefs of Egyptian civilization as they prevailed in his time. He held ritual and belief as important components of religion — indeed, as prerequisites for any religious understanding — which is why his recordings sometimes lack a detailed overview of those very elements. His description of Egyptian religion comprises an elegant account that begins after the initial remarks in 2.35–41 and concludes with the handling of the dead, both human and animal. He sketches out an entire framework marked by internal logic and development, contradicting critics who claim that his religious perspective was inadequate.

Conclusion

To the readers of his work, the text emanates an appreciation of what was peculiar to Egyptians in terms of their rituals, beliefs, and practices. He assessed fairly those whom Greeks considered Barbarians, particularly in the context of religion, and he acknowledged the peculiarity of Egyptian culture, its richness of heritage, and its grandeur as a civilization. Nowhere does he give an impression of inferiority when speaking of Egyptians — a quality that reflects well on his fairness as a historian.

From what Herodotus explains, a reader learns that Egyptians were a culturally rich, developed, and intelligent civilization with their own fascinating religious rituals and customs. The two things that never failed to inspire all historians of all times were the pyramids and the ritual of mummification. The phoenix, as an emblem of Egyptian religion, also surfaces in his writings; but since his scope was far broader than religious belief alone, Herodotus provides only an overview of Egyptian religion. His admiration and respect for religion, however, were profound. He often debated the correlation between Egyptian and Greek gods, sometimes at risk to his credibility as a historian. Yet the justice of his observation does not waver, and he honors his responsibility as a historian by acknowledging Egypt as a great nation.

References

The Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, 2004, Herodotus, Columbia University Press: New York, pg. 21859.

Rivera, Mark A. "Herodotus and Egypt." Retrieved online on 1 November 2005 at http://www.camws.org/meeting/2005/abstracts2005/rivera.html