HISTORIOSOPHICAL COMPREHENSION OF TOLERANCE IN THE WORKS OF HERODOTUS, THUCYDIDES AND XENOPHON: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The article is devoted to a historiosophical analysis of the concept of religious and cultural tolerance in ancient historiography, using the works of Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon as case studies. It is demonstrated that the formation of notions of tolerance in the ancient world was closely linked to the transformation of political structures, the evolution of philosophical thought, and the development of historiographical tradition. Through the analysis of the aforementioned authors, it is shown that ancient historiography did not merely record events but also offered moral and political models for engaging with the «Other.» In the texts of Herodotus, one finds a profound respect for religious diversity and ritual specificity among different peoples, reflecting an early form of ethnocultural tolerance.
It is revealed that in Thucydides’ work, the notion of tolerance acquires a rational dimension. His skeptical approach to religious beliefs and his focus on the logical analysis of historical causality provide a foundation for a critical understanding of political behavior and responsibility. Thucydides develops a new epistemology of historical science in which divine influence is replaced by human passions, fear, ambition, and the pursuit of profit.
It is highlighted that Xenophon imparts a distinct ethical significance to history. Through the image of the virtuous citizen and the wise ruler, he advances the idea that religiosity should be grounded not only in ritual but also in inner moral disposition. The concepts of piety, temperance, and communal usefulness underpin his vision of tolerance as an element of civic self-cultivation and social harmony.
The interrelation between ancient models of thought and contemporary approaches to inclusivity and «cancel culture» is explored. It is emphasized that in ancient historiography, tolerance functioned as a mechanism of cultural memory that preserved alternative voices rather than erasing them. Such an approach fosters not unification but the deepening of moral dialogue between diverse traditions, underscoring the relevance of ancient experience in the context of modern challenges to intercultural coexistence.