The Old and the Restless - The Egyptians and the Scythians in Herodotus' Histories by Robert J. Hagan

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5. The Role of Individuals
As a historian and “inquirer,” Herodotus is not content to simply list facts and
observations about the peoples he encounters in the Histories. His chapters are filled with stories
of men attempting to defy fate, treacherous people who meet grisly ends, and great conquerors.
Many of these stories have probably been embellished or even fabricated by Herodotus’ sources,
but they all serve a purpose. Herodotus’ anecdotes focusing on a particular individual are used
not only to inject interest and a story line to an otherwise dry passage, but also to provide
interpretive commentary that fleshes out the structural differences we have already observed.
In Books Two and Four, Herodotus focuses in on individuals and their actions as
representative of greater historical trends. We see how behavior in individuals is construed and
dealt with in their home culture. The pharaoh Amasis is a clever ruler with unorthodox ways, as
well as a philhellene (2.172-182). Scyles the Scythian too, is different, and immerses himself in
Greek culture, a grave mistake in a xenophobic nation (4.78-80). These men serve to highlight
the contrasting philosophies of the Egyptian and Scythian peoples when it comes to foreign
ideas.
We also see how the kings of Scythia and Egypt control the fates of their nations when
confronted by Persian invasion. The basic contrast already drawn is also exemplified in the ways
specific Scythian and Egyptian figures act. Idanthyrsus, king of Scythia represents a new kind of
battle tactic that shies from traditional honor in favor of survival. His Egyptian counterpart
Psammetichus is a relic of the old order, which proves to bring about the end of Egyptian
independence.