Human intelligence had to solve this puzzle all by itself: the restoration of the “Hekatompedon” inscription on a temple in the Athenian Acropolis that was destroyed by the Persians. It was carved in 485 or 484 BC.
Image: Nature
Artificial intelligence is now also useful for ancient historians and supplements ancient texts that have been partially destroyed. Researchers use inscriptions on Athenian imperialism to show how this works.
Hhat Thucydides deceived us? The Athenian is considered the father and role model of a scientific historiography that strives for objectivity. His work on the Peloponnesian War (431 to 404 BC), which he witnessed himself, gives his hometown unflattering testimony. Chr. under the rule of demagogues and an incited people to an increasingly harsh imperialism. That this was the case is also testified to by decrees preserved as stone inscriptions, according to which Athens increasingly bullied the allies dependent on her. But when were they carved?
Unfortunately, many of the texts are so damaged that it is difficult to date them. Researchers have been paying attention to the letter sigma since the 1960s: If it was written with three dashes, the inscription must be older than 446 BC. Chr., because after that this form fell out of use and was replaced by the form Σ, i.e. with four strokes. However, several imperialist decrees write the sigma with three bars, which means they come from a time before the war and the death of Pericles. The Athenian empire became repressive earlier than Thucydides would have us believe. So the supposedly so objective historian tipped history in favor of Pericles?