Pausanias (geo count)
Pausanias (* approx. 115 n. Chr. in small Asia; † approx. 180 n. Chr.) was a Greek-Roman writer and geographer.
Pausanias bereiste Greece, small Asia, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Italy. It let these experiences flow into its writings.
Receivedits description of Greece Helládos Periégésis is in ten books, is possibly missing a part. Its representation relies thereby both by its own opinions and observations locally and on the studies from numerous antique authors. Pausanias carried with its writings substantially to our picturethe antique Greece.
It describes not only the landscape very exactly, by characterizing even the condition of the soils and supplying quite exact descriptions of way, but also any kinds of buildings, begun with temple plants up to Stadtmauern and cemeteries, for its readers as plastic as possiblerepresents. Thus its work also today still is from large value:
- Since meanwhile much of what he described in detail, is destroyed, buried or forgotten, its work is still an important aid for archaeologists. With the help of its representation became and becomepretty often “again discovers interesting remnants”. Also its description is helpful, in order to make itself on the basis some found and excavated ruins an overall view from certain cities or temple plants to.
- Its ten books have inestimable value also for the history of art, since it used much trouble on it,To describe statues and pictures as detail-faithfully as possible. Even if its authenticity were often denied, then does not come one nevertheless last the latter not its authority to recognize to have. For example with Hermes von Olympia of the Praxiteles, which it describes, we know by its descriptions that that 1877 in the Heratempel of Olympia found Hermes at the original place of assembly were there.
- Gone antique authors a true treasure chest lost its work meant also regarding otherwise, since it quotes often its literary predecessor and contemporary.
- Likewise its representation for the ranges is that Social science importantly, since it does not leave the life-style of the Greeks at that time unmentioned. Thus we know owing to him that in 2. Century still the game park of the Xenophon existed, which this put on on its Landgut Skillous with Olympia, after he on the course that ten thousand those Persian king gardens know had learned.
- Also for the religion science and the mythology research its work supplies important reference points.
At its time as also later Pausanias was not by any means the recognized name, which is he today. It was not one of the celebrated writers in its time. Therefore wentit it also not, but around an applicable description of it of the seeing for future generations. Still in 19. Century doubted about no smaller one than the Philologe Ulrich of Wilamowitz Moellendorff the reliability of Pausanias. It assumed Pausanias it not seen,separate from older sources delivering had quoted. Today however no more doubt exists at the authenticity of the descriptions of the Pausanias.
literature
- Christian Habicht: Pausanias and its „description of Greece “. Beck, Munich 1985, ISBN 3-406-30829-5.
