The Journal of Hellenic Studies· 2026Q2
Herodotus on the death of Atys: an Anatolian heroic archetype
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- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Herodotus' account of Atys' death is a reworking of an Anatolian tradition of commemorating noble rulers, evidenced by funerary monuments.
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Key points
- Herodotus' story of Atys' death is not free invention but a reworking of traditional memory.
- The story reflects an Anatolian heroic archetype for commemorating noble rulers.
- Funerary monuments from Anatolia provide evidence for this tradition.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Herodotus’ story of the death of Atys, son of Croesus (1.34–45), has long been seen as an example of his willingness to embroider if not invent stories to give his narrative dramatic effect. Images on a distinctive class of funerary monuments from Anatolia demonstrate that the elements of the story of Atys derive from a tradition of commemorating noble rulers. Herodotus’ account is thus recognizable not as free invention, but as a reworking of a traditional memory of Atys, whose life was celebrated and death mourned according to what may be termed an Anatolian heroic archetype.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Anthropology
AnthropologySocial Sciences