Where and When?

What is the first historical event that comes to your mind?

Did it happen in your home region? Have you studied about it in school or heard something at home? Was it written, told, or sung?

It is said that the ancient Greek Herodotus is the “father of historians.” His first occupation was as a storyteller. Later, he wrote a book describing his travels in Asia and Europe called “Histories,” investigations in Greek. At the time, there were various histories. Today, there is only one.

Herodotus is also known as “the father of liars.” It is difficult to believe that he had been in all the places he reported on and seen all the things he claimed he had. But where is the dividing line between a story and a lie? When does a story become history? And when does it become a lie? When a true story is told, it does not always sound the same, especially if it happened long ago. Particularly if it was told many times.

Which is better remembered – The story or the way it is told?

Look around – there are stories that things tell about themselves and stories others tell about them. Herodotus had already written in his “Histories”: “My duty is to report what is said, but it is not my duty to believe it.”