In his narrative history, Histories, Herodotus uses a number of techniques and themes to expound the achievements of both Greeks and barbarians and the root of the Greco-Persian war. Herodotus’ technique of ringed composition, digression, and anecdotes and the purpose of writing his history of the Greco-Persian war is well exemplified by his narration of Cyrus the Great’s conquest of Ayssyria and their capitol Babylon
In the preface of Histories, Herodotus states that he writes his narrative to preserve the human achievement and all that is great of both the Greeks and Barbarians (Herod 1). Herodotus further explains that his aim is to show the root of the Greco-Persian conflict and then give the rest of his story, depicting societies both significant and insignificant (Herod 1.5). He does so stating “I will pay equal attention to both, for humans and prosperity never endure side by side for long” (Herod 1.5). These purposes for Histories, are clearly exemplified by Herodotus’ narration of…show more content… Specifically, during his narration on Babylon’s fall he tells the story of the once great city’s queen, Nitocris, tomb. As previously mentioned, Nitocris was a witty and intelligent leader, exemplifying a repeated theme throughout Histories. Nitocris had her tomb put above the city’s most frequented gate, with an inscription reading that future monarchs of Babylon should only open her tomb for its treasurers only in the case of poverty (Herod. 187). The anecdote skips ahead Darius, Cyrus’s successor, whom no longer wants to travel under the Queen’s tomb, reads the inscription and finds its ludicrous to not take the treasure; however, once he opens the tomb he finds an inscription telling him the depth of his greed (Herod. 187). A clever and interesting inscription read to the leader of an empire that embodies greed as it conquests entire
