Herodotus' Poor Man of Nippur

Herodotus' narrative of the Pisistratid tyranny has long puzzled scholars. This article argues that Herodotus' inspiration can be traced to a tradition that originates from a Near Eastern story pattern, mediated through a Homeric catalyst whose transference was provided by Pisistratid patronage of international festivals and the family's influence on the canonization of Homeric poems. Democratic memory of the archaic-age tyranny produced a story that reflects popular recognition of Pisistratid influence on the cultural landscape; a contextual understanding of the story can explain apparent inconsistencies in Herodotus' narrative, while shedding further light on the reception of the Pisistratid tyranny.