Posted by Gary [GLamotta] on March 30, 1999 at 05:08:39 {.Oe37V.qjQMSSTtTA17sboLUiPtahc}:
In Reply to: *****ANSTEY'S CHRONOLOGY DEAD # 2 posted by J.H. on March 29, 1999 at 09:42:47:
Sorry, Jan, but your GLOSS OVER is not good enough. It is a matter of RESEARCH whether or
not Herodotus was a good historian or not.
As far as the issue of Cyrus being born before
his own mother, the only reason it is an
issue
is because Herodotus just happened to mention
her birth in connection with an eclipse event
which is datd in 585BCE, per the current
chronology.
Regardless, you're going to have to make some
adjustments. My point
is only that this shows
the unreliability of the Greek records, including
the astronomical texts that are non-contemporary
as well as the historical documents that are
non-contemporary, which applies to 99% of them!
But you
may as well UPDATE, Jan. One recent
chronolgist for this period handled this
simply by saying that it was an older daughter
of Cyaxares that Astyages married and not the
one born to the daughter of Alyattes and sister
to
Kroisis. Now that's not such a stretch.
But at least it was addressed and dismissed,
or at least "excused."
Unfortunately, Xenophon as well presents Cyrus
as the grandson of Asytages so it's not that
easy.
Cheers,
Gary