Cymruambyth
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That's a sweeping question. Historicity means the aunthenticity of a historical event, so some history has historicity and some of it doesn't. See the 'It Never Happened' thread on this board for examples of history without historicity. Were you thinking of any specific events? Reply #1. Aug 29 11, 9:28 AM |
romeomikegolf
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Many historical events have accurate records. Some, especially those going back thousands of years, are based on hearsay. Others have been totally distorted by the movie industry. As Cym says, do you have particular instances in mind? But remember that history is written by the winners. Reply #2. Aug 29 11, 10:03 AM |
houston1127
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It is often true that history is written by the winners. That's why revisionist history is important to the effort to get things right. Reply #3. Aug 29 11, 10:35 AM |
s-m-w
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It is also said that historians write the history that fits their own take on events. This makes fact and fiction run hand in hand. One of the best read books ever proves this. Reply #4. Aug 29 11, 1:49 PM |
trojan11
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Herodotus, Father of history/Father of lies, might well fit that description, S. But there have been historians that write objectively, and use all the facts that come to hand; such as are available, that is. Reply #5. Aug 29 11, 7:16 PM |
boxjaw
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"For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history myself." Winston Churchill Reply #6. Aug 30 11, 12:16 PM |
Mixamatosis
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History is written by the victors. You don't often get the views of the vanquished. Reply #7. Jul 24 15, 5:48 PM |
Mixamatosis
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Even with the best will in the world, history relies a lot on interpretation. However the further you are from the time in question, the less a professional historian has any vested interest in deliberately trying to distort that interpretation unless they have a political agenda behind their interpretation. Professionalism should mean the modern historian looks at the facts as dispassionately as he can and uses scientific methods where relevant. I love archaeology because they use so much science now to analyse what they find. One early historian who tried to write dispassionately was Thucydides who wrote about the Peloponnesian war and it still reads very well to the modern reader. Reply #8. Feb 20 19, 4:22 PM |
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