Long before the internet came around, history books told us everything we needed to know about the world’s collective past. History books have played a crucial world in helping people understand more about the world’s political state, and in this article, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the oldest history books in the world. We’ll look at
Let’s get right into it!
2 Oldest History Books in the World
2. Histories (Tacitus)
Year/Time Period Written: 100-110
Language: Latin
Country/Place: Italy
Photo Source: Wikipedia Commons
Histories is one of the earliest examples of a history book that mankind has! It was written by Tacticus, who was a politician and historian from ancient Rome. This book chronicled and examined the various important events and moments in time from Roman history, including the downfall of Nero, Domitian’s death, and the Year of the Four Emperors.
In addition to the book’s subject matter, historians have noted that the book’s style of narration is very interesting. The language used is fast-paced in order to reflect how speedily the events mentioned in the book passed by, and is rhythmic in its nature, leaving the reader with no chance to digress from its subject matter. Many experts also believe that Tacticus’ writing style reflects that of an aristocrat, portraying his subjects with grace and dignity.
Did you know?
Historians have a theory that Tacticus’ style of writing was inspired by and based on Pompeius Trogus.
1. Annals of Amenemhat II
Year/Time Period Written: Unknown
Language: Unknown
Country/Place: Egypt
Photo Source: Wikipedia Commons
The Annals of Amenemhat II are another of history’s most important documents, thought many consider these annals to be a book. They document King Amenemhat II’s reign, as well as the history of ancient Egypt. It’s interesting to note that the author of this book also documented how to understand the kingship of the time, as well as the general ideas behind a kingship.
One of the most notable features of this history book is that it details the accounts of various military enterprises from the time, including sending people on missions, as well as accounts of people who visited from Kush and Ubatsepet.
Did you know?
The Annals of Amenemhat II are mention various foreign locations that historians have not been able to identify. However, more modern historians believe that some of those locations are present in modern-day Turkey and Cyprus.
Conclusion
In this article, we walked you through a fairly detailed explanation of two of the world’s oldest history books. Both of these books were written by people that wrote about the people and events that came before them, and talked their experiences in great detail. Although this list is short, it’s important to note that there is a huge difference between a history textbook and a historical book, and we aimed to highlight that difference through this article. We enoucrage you to do some of your own reading, and learn more about world history through alternative means!
