HECATÆUS, an ancient historian of Miletus, in Asia Minor. The exact period of his birth and death is unknown, but the active part he took in the affairs of his country proves that he flourished about 500 B. C., at a time when the Ionians were attempting to throw off the yoke of the Persians, who were then governed by Darius. He was the son
of Hegesandrus (Suid.), and descended of a noble family. Like Herodotus, whom he preceded only by a few years, he visited many countries, and, making himself acquainted with the peculiarities of their customs, and the history of different nations, he wrote numerous works on these subjects. (Herodot. ii. 143.) We find Hecataeus present at the deliberations of the Ionians, 501 B. C., before they revolted against Darius, when he pointed out to his countrymen the folly of their intended proceedings. War, however, was resolved on at all hazards, and Hecataeus then recommended that they should devote their attention to secure maritime supremacy. This advice was also neglected; and, 497 B. C., Aristagoras, who headed the war faction, was obliged to fly, being a short time afterwards slain in Thrace (v. 36, 125). Hecataeus was one of the earliest writers in prose, and is said by Porphyry to have furnished materials for the history of Herodotus. His works were divided into three classes; histories, genealogies, and geographical pieces. The fragments, which are numerous, have been collected by Creuzer, Historicorum Antiquissimorum Fragmenta, p. 38-86. (See Mémoires de l'Académie des Inscriptions, tom. vi. p. 475; Vossius de Hist. Græc. p. 440; and Ulrichi, Charakteristik der antiken Historiographie, Berlin, 1833.)