Greek and Roman Historians: Information and Misinformation

Today it is widely accepted that we do not get the whole truth from any historian. This text considers the work of ancient historians such as Herotudus, Tacitus and Thucydides in the light of this attitude. The author argues that misinformation, even deliberate disinformation, is abundant in their writings, and so suggests new ways of reading and interpreting the ancient historians which maximizes their usefulness as source material. He demonstrates how the evidence they provide can be augmented by the use of other, literary and non-literary, sources. This text aims to show us how we can use written history to learn about the ancient world, even if our conclusions are not those its historians intended. The author argues that their work remains our most important source of information, once we have learned to question and incorporate their imperfect regard for the truth.