LOGOGRAPHI (X&yos, ypiic/w, writers of

See also:

• PROSE

prose histories or tales)  , the name given by modern scholars to the Greek historiographers before Herodotus.l Thucydides, however, applies the term to all his own predecessors, and it is therefore usual to make a distinction between the older and the younger logographers . Their representatives, with one exception, came from Ionia and its islands, which from their position were most favour-ably situated for the acquisition of knowledge concerning the distant countries of East and West . They wrote in the Ionic dialect, in what was called the unperiodic style, and preserved the poetic character of their epic model . Their criticism amounts to nothing more than a crude attempt to rationalize the current legends and traditions connected with the founding of cities, the genealogies of ruling families, and the manners and customs of individual peoples . Of scientific criticism there is no trace whatever . The first of these historians was probably Cadmus of Miletus (who lived, if at all, in the early part of the 6th century), the earliest writer of prose, author of a work on the founding of his native city and the colonization of Ionia (so Suidas); Pherecydes of Leros, who died about 400, is generally considered the last . Mention may also be made of the following: Hecataeus of Miletus (550–476); Acusilaus of Argos,2 who paraphrased in prose (correcting the tradition where it seemed necessary) the genealogical works of Hesiod in the Ionic dialect; he con-fined his attention to the prehistoric period, and made no attempt at a real history; Charon of Lampsacus (c . 450), author of histories of Persia, Libya, and Ethiopia, of annals (ibpor) of his native town with lists of the prytaneis and archons, and of the chronicles of Lacedaemonian kings; Xanthus of Sardis in Lydia (c . 450), author of a history of Lydia, one of the chief authorities used by Nicolaus of Damascus (fl. during the time of Augustus); Hellanicus of Mytilene; Stesimbrotus of Thasos, opponent of Pericles and reputed author of a political pamphlet on Themistocles, Thucydides and Pericles; Hippys and Glaucus, both of Rhegium, the first the author of histories of Italy and Sicily, the second of a treatise on ancient poets and musicians, used by Harpocration and Plutarch; Damastes of Sigeum, pupil of Hellanicus, author of genealogies of the combatants before Troy (an ethnographic and statistical list), of short treatises on poets, sophists, and geographical subjects . On the early Greek historians, see G . Busolt, GriechischeGeschichte (1893), i . 147-153; 'C .

Wachsmuth, Einleitung in das Studium der alten Geschichte (1895); A . Schafer, Abriss der Quellenkunde der griechischen and romischen Geschichte (ed . H . Nissen, 1889) ; J . B . Bury, Ancient Greek Historians (1909), lecture i.; histories of Greek literature by Muller-Donaldson (ch . 18) and W . Mute (bk, iv. ch . 3), where the little that is known concerning the life and writings of the logographers is exhaustively discussed . The fragments will be found, with Latin notes, translation, prolegomena, and copious indexes, in C . W . Mailer's Fragmenta historicorum Graecorum (1841–1870) .

See also

GREECE: History, Ancient (section, " Authorities ") . 1 The word is also used of the writers of speeches for the use of the contending parties in the law courts, who were forbidden to employ advocates . 1 There is some doubt as to whether this Acusilaus was of Beloponnesian or Boeotian Argos . Possibly there were two of the name . For an example of the method of Acusilaus see Bury, op. cit. p . 19 .