history
Historiē (Inquiry / Eyewitness Research)
ἱστορίη
The founding idea that history is 'inquiry' — actively investigating, weighing testimony, and recording what you find.
The Greek word historie simply means 'inquiry' or 'research.' Herodotus (5th c. BCE) opened his work by calling it the 'showing-forth of his inquiry,' inventing history as a craft of active investigation rather than mere storytelling. The historian steps forward as a researcher, names his methods, and separates what he saw from what he was told. This redefinition of inquiry as systematic, recorded research is why Herodotus is called the 'Father of History.'
Where this idea shows up
3 Greek sourcesWhere to read it
- Fragments & Testimonia440 BCEHerodotus· Thurii (Magna Graecia)
- On Oratory55 BCECicero· Formiae
- Adversus Mathematicos190 CESextus Empiricus· Alexandria