Did you know...
I can't take credit for this. I found it on a discussion on Askville by Amazon.
Where did historical fiction start and when?
The Roman Empire. Actually, empires have always been notorious at self-promotion and making the other guy look bad. Thus, Pharaoh Merneptah left behind a pillar in Thebes boasting, "Israel is laid waste; his seed is not" (c. 1200 b.c.) Obviously, he won a battle, went home, and exaggerated. However, the Romans were such experts at their PR that Europeans believed their "histories" for centuries (while ironically questioning the veracity of the gospels . . . go figure.) So good, solid historical fiction really took off with the Romans.
They're the ones we get our notion of "Republic" from!
Source: http://askville.amazon.com/historical-fiction-start/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=88954597
What do you think? Could this be the origin of historical fiction?
I can't take credit for this. I found it on a discussion on Askville by Amazon.
| highsmith.com |
The Roman Empire. Actually, empires have always been notorious at self-promotion and making the other guy look bad. Thus, Pharaoh Merneptah left behind a pillar in Thebes boasting, "Israel is laid waste; his seed is not" (c. 1200 b.c.) Obviously, he won a battle, went home, and exaggerated. However, the Romans were such experts at their PR that Europeans believed their "histories" for centuries (while ironically questioning the veracity of the gospels . . . go figure.) So good, solid historical fiction really took off with the Romans.
They're the ones we get our notion of "Republic" from!
Source: http://askville.amazon.com/historical-fiction-start/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=88954597
What do you think? Could this be the origin of historical fiction?
I love these little historical tidbits--so interesting!
ReplyDeleteIt figures the Romans would be the first. I can hear Gerard Butler now. LOL
ReplyDeleteI think historical fiction goes back much further than the Romans! Think of cave paintings. Did Oog really bring home the bison or was it his younger brother Bob who was too busy making jerky to goof off with a piece of charcoal? As long as people have been able to communicate, the historical fiction's been flying.
ReplyDelete