Abstract:
The claim to historical understanding is more than simply quoting from ancient sources. Not only must anachronism and ethnocentrism be dealt with in order not to make the ancients mere instruments of modern preferences, but the sources themselves must be carefully interpreted so that we do not become victims of their propaganda. The challenge of historical understanding with sincerity and fairness is illustrated in this study of Herod the Great, king of the Judaeans. Studying history is not to aim at the discovery of final truth, but to participate in the conversation about truth, and therefore the self-reflection and self-discovery implied by historical exploration.
