Greek Dilemma And Outlet: Xenophon Greek History Research

Basing on the researches of other scholars, combining with thewhole works of Xenophon and ancient Greek history, borrowing ideasfrom the development of modern historiography, the dissertation is aresearch of the contents and thoughts of Xenophon's Hellenica. Itelaborates what Xenophon deliberated on the difficult situations ofGreeks in city-state crisis and the ways out of it. Basing on theseelaborations, the dissertation also analyzes and summarizes the styles ofhistoriography of Xenophon' Hellenica, and reveals the remarkablecharacters compared with the historiography of Herodotus andThucydides. There are five chapters in the dissertation besides theintroduction and epilogue.The introduction mainly summarizes views and researches at homeand broad, comments on relevant viewpoints to point out theachievements and shortcomings, and expounds the researchingthread and methods.Chapter one discusses the relations between Xenophon'sbackground of thoughts and his historical explore, and analyzes thepurpose of writing of Hellenica. The main problems in Greek city-statecrisis from late5th century B.C. to4th century B.C., the influences ofSocrates and Xenophon's life experiences constitute the backgroundof Xenophon's thoughts, and deeply influence the purpose of writing ofHellenica.Chapter two discusses the showing of military technē (art) ofHellenica by combining with the general Greek views and Xenophon'srich thoughts of technē. Excellent military technē forms the basic powerto protect Greek city-states' independence and just rights. The reasonof why Xenophon attached so much importance to showing practicalmilitary technē in Hellenica is to make his historiography good for enlighten Greek city-states to improve their military technē.Chapter three discusses Xenophon's presentation and reflection onthe relations within and without of city-states in Hellenica by threeaspects which include the strife between different groups within thecity-state and the emergence of tyrannical rule, the wars betweenhegemonists and anti-hegemonists among city-states, and the complexrelations between Greeks and Persians. By narrating the relations of thethree aspects, Xenophon evidenced that there was definitive justice inthe relations within and without of the city-state, and reflected onenthusiastic Panhellenism contemporary.Chapter four discusses the identity between justice and the divinein Hellenica, combining with Greek theological thoughts andXenophon's viewpoints concerning theology. It points out that thereason why Xenophon wrote in this way is to prove the powerful supportfrom gods to justice in the relations within and without of the city-state.Xenophon had no intention to advocate fatalism, but to emphasize thenoble beauty of people who insisted on the right in difficulties in history.Chapter five discusses the characters of Hellenica compared to theworks of Herodotus and Thucydides. It mainly analyzes the characters ofnarrative skills and styles in Hellenica, and its special charm from theperspective of salvation by historical trace.The epilogue summarizes the deep thinking of Xenophon'sHellenica for the difficult situations of Greeks and ways out of them, andpoints out its significances of history and of contemporary.