Ancient historians believed God or the Gods actively direct the course of history, in a supernatural way. The ancient histories also believed that certain events were predestined to happen by the will of the Gods. Sometimes, they thought, the Gods would control history by directly helping a hero or hindering a foe.
Today, of course, these ideas have fallen out of use.
quote from the chapter:
The question: how did individuals make nations act as they wished and by what was the will of these individuals themselves guided? the ancients met by recognizing a divinity which subjected the nations to the will of a chosen man, and guided the will of that chosen man so as to accomplish ends that were predestined.
For the ancients these questions were solved by a belief in the direct participation of the Deity in human affairs.
Modern history, in theory, rejects both these principles.
Second Epilogue, key concept note 6
How did the Ancients view history?
Summary:
Ancient historians believed God or the Gods actively direct the course of history, in a supernatural way. The ancient histories also believed that certain events were predestined to happen by the will of the Gods. Sometimes, they thought, the Gods would control history by directly helping a hero or hindering a foe.
Today, of course, these ideas have fallen out of use.
quote from the chapter:
The question: how did individuals make nations act as they wished and by what was the will of these individuals themselves guided? the ancients met by recognizing a divinity which subjected the nations to the will of a chosen man, and guided the will of that chosen man so as to accomplish ends that were predestined.
For the ancients these questions were solved by a belief in the direct participation of the Deity in human affairs.
Modern history, in theory, rejects both these principles.
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