![]() The customs which I know the Persians to observe are the following: they have no images of the gods, no temples nor altars, and consider the use of them a sign of folly. ![]() The following passage is taken from Herodotus’ Histories translated by George Rawlinson: The only time he specifically references the Greeks is in I.135 when he says how the Persians “have learnt unnatural lust from the Greeks.” There would have been no need for him to directly contrast the Persian love of truth with the Greek tendency to prevaricate because his audience would have been well aware of it and this same model holds true for the rest of his description of Persian customs. The glowing description of the Persians – who, he notes, think it “the most disgraceful thing in the world” to tell a lie (I.138) - is contrasted with the Greeks without Herodotus having to even mention his countrymen. Although the claim has been challenged, he is also correct in his passage in the same chapter on the Persian love of wine and their policy of making decisions drunk and then reevaluating the same when sober. He is also accurate in his description of birthdays as important annual events as the Persians are known to have created the practice of observing birthdays and also of instituting the serving of desserts after a meal (I.133). Of all the days in the year, the one which they celebrate most is their birthday. ![]()
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