[Herodotus2010] Herodotus Discussion Questions for Books 8 & 9

[Andre Stipanovic]

Hi fellow readers,
Here are the discussion questions for the final two books of Herodotus. 
You can also access them via the Reading Odyssey website, where our
recorded discussions are also posted:  http://readingodyssey.com/
Enjoy the read and blog your thoughts or email the group with your
questions.
Sincerely,
Andre

Herodotus Discussion Questions for Books 8 & 9
1.  In Book 8.40-65, Herodotus narrates the momentous conference of Greek
leaders as they debate whether to fight the Persians at sea near Salamis,
or to defend the Peloponnese by at the Isthmus of Corinth, a natural
defense.  Has Herodotus embellished the decision to fight at Salamis in
view of the victory?  Was it the best decision even if the Greeks had
lost?  Was it really the only option for the Greeks at this point?

2.  Given Xerxes’ stubbornness and dedication to invading Greece, what
are some of the factors that lead to his personal withdrawal from the war
after the battle of Salamis (book 8)?  What other options should he have
considered?

3.  In one of the most astounding reversals in military history, the
Battle of Plataea (book 9) resulted in a resounding Greek victory.  What
is the interplay between Athens and Sparta in the events leading up to
this battle?  How had the battle affected relations afterwards between
Athens and Sparta?  What can Herodotus tell us about the Greek city-states
in general at this time before his Histories abruptly end?

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://readingodyssey.org/pipermail/herodotus2010_readingodyssey.org/attachments/20110309/c55900a9/attachment-0002.html>