Herodotus on Drinking Wine in the Achaemenid World: Greek and Persian Perceptions
by Touraj Daryaee
Abstract: Daryaee shows that Herodotus was not an infallible interpreter of foreign cultural practices by showing that his presentation of Persian court drinking practices misunderstood the centrality of moderation in Persian cultural mores under the Achaemenids. Zoroastrian texts suggested that the consumption of alcohol in moderate quantities could enhance cognitive function; Herodotus misinterpreted this in his account of royal decision-making made amidst what effectively would have represented binge-drinking.
Book chapter in Iranian Languages and Culture: Essays in Honor of Gernot Ludwig Windfuhr, eds. B. Aghaei & M.R. Ghanoonparvar, pp. 28-43. Mazda Publishers, 2012.
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