When Herodotus of Halicarnassus began his great work nigh on 2,500 years ago, he chose to describe it as a ἱστορία, or enquiry. In doing so, he set himself apart from the servile chroniclers of despotates, who merely set down the approved narrative of their masters. This new genre of work sought to look into the history of Greeks and non-Greeks alike without fear or favour, and understand the deeper causes behind events.

This was a radical departure from what had gone before, and can only be understood in light of the flowering of Hellenic liberty that encouraged free enquiry into subtle causes. Indeed, the Roman historian Tacitus understood clearly the link between knowing why things came to pass and freedom, observing in his Annals that Rome’s enslavement to the Caesars was marked by how “causes were hidden; for the rest, chance ruled”. Modern totalitarians from Revolutionary France to the Third Reich have likewise attempted to reset their calendars to “Year Zero”, and obscure all that came before the beginning of their regime.

In this light, we at The Herodotian invite contributions to our first edition on the theme of “Beginnings”. One might well object that such a theme is nebulous, since one man’s beginning becomes another man’s end when viewed differently. Our reply would be that this is precisely the point. Whatever topic you study, it is rare that you will find absolute historical agreement on when, where, and how to begin. The choice is almost wholly in your hands, and you are free to make whatever case you wish for why something is a noteworthy beginning.

No severe restrictions are imposed on what you may write about, save that it must be historical in outlook and plausibly connected to the theme of beginnings. We hope to attract responses to this prompt that cover a wide range of analytical lenses, periods, locations, and viewpoints. In an age where even nominal democracies seek to enforce a clear narrative of history with neat beginnings, The Herodotian aims to be a haven for a broad swathe of articles, truly open for the ideas of Oxford’s students. The gauntlet has been thrown down: all that is now left is for you to heed Dante’s words.

“Here must all distrust be left;
All cowardice must here be dead.“ (Canto III, Inferno.)