Pausanias_Travel_Writing_in_Ancient Greece [Maria_Pretzler]

6. A Sense of Time: Pausanias as Historian
make his intentions explicit. 69 Echoes of Herodotos’ style and approach are
particularly common in the Periegesis, 70 and this can lend a certain archaic
weight to events that might otherwise seem less conspicuous. Pausanias
is not always content with subtle literary echoes, and he has a number of
ways of suggesting particular interpretations of historical events. His
second and more elaborate account of the Gallic attack on Delphi in 279
BC is designed to emphasise the parallels between this barbarian invasion
and those of the Persians in the early fifth century BC. 71 Pausanias rarely
chooses to impose his own interpretation quite so forcefully, but in this
passage he employs a number of devices to guide the reader towards a
particular point of view. The location of the digression is carefully chosen
to underline Pausanias’ interpretation: he passes by a number of relevant
monuments, but the narrative is finally attached to the main temple,
following a reference to the shields dedicated by the Athenians after the
battle of Marathon. The report is distinctly Herodotean, deliberately
reminiscent of the definitive account of the Persian invasion and the Greek
defence effort in 480/479 BC, and the description of the Gauls and their
behaviour is frequently achieved by comparison or contrast with Herodotos’
Persians. Moreover, Pausanias includes explicit comments on the
similarity between the two barbarian invasions, and on the comparative
threat faced by Greece in each case, both in his own authorial voice and
when he reports the views of the Greek forces at the time. 72
Historians are usually committed to one coherent narrative, and they
are therefore likely to aim at a certain unity of style and approach.
Pausanias, however, is not constrained by such conventions, because he
deals with many accounts in a variety of contexts. He is therefore free to
experiment with the format of his historical passages, and he can link
events or historical figures that might not otherwise be connected. Different
periods and events are juxtaposed whenever monuments with
different historical associations are described side by side. 73
Sometimes
Pausanias deliberately explores connections or comparisons between historical
events, usually in order to illustrate his opinions on particular
events or general aspects of Greek history. The best example is a list of
benefactors of Greece which allows Pausanias to explore his views on
Greek freedom and unity. Similar ideas are expressed when he discusses
those historical characters whose treachery did much damage to the Greek
cause. 74 Historical comparisons or precedents can also suggest new interpretations
of events. For example, Augustus’ decision to punish the
Tegeans for opposing him by taking their most revered sacred image is
accompanied by a list of conquerors who took ancient cult statues.
Pausanias usually abhors such heavy-handed treatment of Greek sanctuaries,
but his discussion of historical precedents in this instance suggests
that the emperor was merely following a long established custom. 75
When he is writing history Pausanias is sometimes unusually open
about his opinion, and he can express his views, especially moral judge-
87