University/Organization
Dickinson State University
Title
Anacharsis: Rediscovering History in the 18th Century
Synopsis
Barthélemy’s Voyage du jeune Anacharsis en Grèce steeped his fictional Anacharsis into a complex matrix of alleged authoritative classical sources, architectural drawings, coins and maps. According to Jacques-Charles Brunet, Barthélemy explored aspects of early Syrian, Jewish, and Palestinian life. Within his autobiography in 1760, Barthélemy recounted his travels and exploration of the ruins of Antiquity. In1788, Barthélemy’s five-volume Anacharsis struck a chord with readers quickly generating additional editions. Certainly not a singular example, it was illustrative of the changing place of history in western culture.