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How did Herodotus describe the Egyptian priestsâ historical records?
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Herodotus
Herodotus, detail of a Roman herm probably copied from a Greek original of the first half of the 4th century bce; in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples.
Herodotus, often called the "father of history," approached his research by actively questioning priests in Memphis, Heliopolis, and Thebes to determine if their accounts of the past were consistent with one another.1
Through these inquiries, he discovered that the Egyptian historical records extended much further back in time than those of the Greeks. While Herodotus is sometimes noted for his credulity, his methodology involved a conscientious effort to gather information from various witnesses to preserve the remembrance of past actions and understand the origins of different customs.1