Who is called the Father of History?

The correct answer is Herodotus.
Herodotus was an ancient Greek writer and geographer who lived in the 5th century BC (c. 484–425 BC). He is widely credited with being the first person to treat historical subjects as a method of investigation by collecting his materials systematically and critically, and then arranging them into a historiographic narrative. The Roman statesman Cicero officially bestowed upon him the title Pater Historiae, or "Father of History.

The Meaning of "History"

Before Herodotus, accounts of the past were often recorded as disconnected lists, epic poems, or myths where the actions of gods and humans were indistinguishable. Herodotus changed this by using the word historía, which in ancient Greek meant "inquiry" or "investigation." He did not simply record legends; he traveled extensively, interviewed witnesses, and cross-checked his sources to explain the causes of events.

His Masterpiece: The Histories

Herodotus is best known for his monumental work, The Histories. The primary focus of this work is the conflict between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states (the Greco-Persian Wars). However, the book serves as a "world history" of his time, as he frequently takes long "digressions" to describe the geography, customs, and cultures of the various peoples he encountered, including the Egyptians, Scythians, and Persians.

Contributions to Historiography

Herodotus introduced several concepts that are still fundamental to historical writing today:

• Cause and Effect: He sought to understand why the Greeks and Persians went to war, looking for human motives rather than just divine will.


• Cultural Relativism: He was unusually open-minded for his time, famously stating that "custom is king of all" and showing respect for the traditions of non-Greek "barbarians."


• Evidence Collection: He relied on autopsia (seeing for oneself) and akoē (hearing from others), though he often noted when he was skeptical of a story he was told.

Distinguishing from the Others

In the context of this MCQ, it is important to distinguish Herodotus from the other philosophers listed:

• Socrates: A founder of Western philosophy, known for the Socratic method of questioning.


• Aristotle: A polymath who established the foundations of logic and biology.


• Plato: A philosopher and student of Socrates, known for his work on ethics and the "Theory of Forms."

While these men shaped Western thought, only Herodotus founded the discipline of investigating and recording the human past as a factual narrative.