How did Barthold Niebuhr apply source criticism to ancient Roman traditions?

Barthold Georg Niebuhr revolutionized classical scholarship by introducing a rigorous method of source criticism, which he termed tätige Skepsis, or "constructive skepticism".1

Rather than accepting ancient Roman traditions at face value, Niebuhr demonstrated how to analyze the various layers within historical sources, particularly those containing poetical and mythical narratives. He recognized that early Roman accounts, such as those preserved by later historians like Livy, were often blends of factual material, folklore, and patriotic reinterpretations.12

By applying his critical method, Niebuhr sought to discard the "worthless" or fictitious elements of these traditions to isolate the underlying material from which historical facts could be reconstructed. This approach allowed him to look past the embellishments of the annalistic tradition—which often reflected the political conditions of later eras rather than the reality of early Rome—and establish a more scientific foundation for historical inquiry. His work effectively shifted the study of history toward a more analytical and evidence-based discipline.12