Associate Professor Sabotič Publishes Book Ancient Historiography

At the beginning of November, the book Ancient Historiography by Associate Professor Ines Sabotič, Ph.D. (Department of History) was published by the Catholic University of Croatia and the Croatian University Publishing House. The 300-page volume traces the history of historical writing from its beginnings in ancient Greece (around the 6th century BC) to the end of the 5th century AD.

In addition to an introduction, conclusion, and an extensive bibliography, the book is divided into three sections—Greek, Roman, and Christian historiography—and presents the works of Greek logographers and historians, Roman annalists and historians, as well as early Christian historians. Readers encounter both well-known and lesser-known authors—from Herodotus and Thucydides, through Polybius, Sallust, Livy, and Suetonius, to Ammianus Marcellinus, Eusebius of Caesarea, Socrates, and Sozomen, among many others. Each author and work is contextualized within its cultural, social, and political setting, with a focus on historiographical features and contributions to the development of historical writing.

Characterized by a clear style and a well-structured, pedagogically sound presentation of material, the book also includes a selection of translated passages from ancient authors in Croatian. It reflects the author’s long-standing scholarly engagement with the subject, developed further through her teaching. As such, it will be of interest not only to history students, particularly those focusing on Greek and Roman antiquity, but also to any educated reader interested in the evolution of historiography from its ancient origins to the modern age.

As befitting such a publication, the book cover features Clio, the muse of history—protector of those who write about the past and who watches over them so that what they write is not only accurate but also, as much as possible, a lesson for life (historia magistra vitae).

Text: SK