Pausanias_Travel_Writing_in_Ancient Greece [Maria_Pretzler]

Pausanias: Travel Writing in Ancient Greece
eration. Recent research has, however, shown that Pausanias had ambitious
literary aims which need to be taken into account in interpreting his
text. 2 As an author, Pausanias almost makes a show of keeping a low
profile, but he allows us to discern a man who is confident in his judgement
and knowledge. In fact, the Periegesis leaves no doubt that its author spent
many years travelling, researching and writing. Numerous cross-references
and a complex geographical framework show that the whole work is
carefully planned and structured. Nevertheless, individual passages can
pose intricate problems, and at times it seems difficult to explain mistakes
or omissions. For example, how could Pausanias at the start of his work
describe sailing round Cape Sounion but not mention the temple of Poseidon
which is so famous today, or identify it wrongly as a temple of Athena? 3
Problems with Pausanias as a source arise not only from his own errors
and peculiarities. In the past his work has often been mined for information
without much consideration for context or chronology: a knowledge of
the Periegesis, its background and its aims is necessary for anyone who
wants to make good use of the many treasures it can offer. Tackling the
Periegesis as a whole is not an easy task. It is difficult to gain an overview
and to keep track of passages that might combine to give a more complete
view of the author’s opinions and approach. Studying the work in depth
almost inevitably requires some elaborate method of collecting passages
with common themes, just to allow the reader to appreciate the range of
interests and ideas covered. While it remains crucial to gain a full overview
of the range of opinions expressed in the Periegesis, I believe that it
is impossible to understand Pausanias merely through stubborn compilation.
His opinion on a subject cannot be deduced simply by collating and
summarising all relevant passages, because the work is more than a sum
of its many parts. Particular statements need to be interpreted within
their context in the work, and with special attention to the circumstances
in any given place that may have triggered a specific comment. Pausanias’
errors and omissions, though highly problematic for those who use the
Periegesis as a source for ancient Greece, can provide particularly valuable
insights into his attitudes, ideas and methods. In short, it is crucial to gain
an overview without losing sight of the details.
Readers of Pausanias, whether they are just interested in a specific
place or piece of information, or want to get to know his work as a whole,
need to be alert to the many factors that may have shaped the Periegesis.
Apart from the author’s methods and aims, we need to consider the
cultural background that he shared with his informants and intended
readership. Pausanias’ approach to the cultural landscape of Greece
should be seen as a deliberate response to already existing literary traditions.
His work and his readers’ expectations were shaped by travel
literature (in the widest sense) and by the many texts defining the history
and culture of Greece. The overarching theme of the Periegesis is Greece
itself. Pausanias is discovering, describing and defining Greece and Greek
2