Historian
Scholar who studies and writes about the past.
Anasuyas · CC BY-SA 4.0
A historian is a scholar who researches and writes about the past, considered an authority on it. Their work involves the systematic, continuous study and narrative of past human events across all time periods. Recognition can come through publications, training, or experience. The profession of historian emerged in the late nineteenth century with the rise of research universities in Germany, a model that then spread—with local adaptations—to Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia, Scandinavia, Greece, Romania, and Latin America.
Ancient historians differed greatly from modern ones in their goals, documentation, sources, and methods. They rarely used chronological systems, often absorbed their sources without preserving traceability, and typically aimed to create political or military paradigms. Epics like Homer’s were treated as history, even by Thucydides. Orators such as Cicero divided historical narrative into three parts: history, argument, and fable. In the nineteenth century, scholars judged ancient Greek and Roman historians for reliability, but recent decades focus on the constructions, genres, and meanings these historians intended for their audiences. History is always shaped by contemporary concerns, and ancient historians wrote in response to their own times. Only a tiny fraction of Greek and Roman works survive, forming the small pool from which ancient historiography is analyzed today. Modern historians of the ancient world now debate diverse types of evidence more than in the nineteenth century, due to field innovations. It was only after Christianity’s rise that philosophies of history gained prominence, centered on human destiny from a Christian perspective.
In the nineteenth century, historical study became professionalized at universities and research centers, with a belief that history was a science. By the twentieth century, historians incorporated social science dimensions—politics, economy, culture—and later postmodernism. Since the 1980s, there has been special interest in memories and commemoration of past events. History is inherently prone to continuous debate, and historians tend to be divided; there is no commonly agreed-upon past, only competing histories (e.g., of elites, non-elites, men, women, races).
Quick Facts
- Field
- History
- Known for
- Methodical narrative and research of past events; professionalization in late 19th century
- Professionalization origin
- Germany (late 19th century)
- Professionalization spread
- Japan
- Netherlands
- Italy
- Spain
- Russia
- Scandinavia
- Greece
- Romania
- Latin America
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The professional occupation of historian emerged in the late nineteenth century as research universities were developing in Germany. This professionalization process spread to Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia, Scandinavia, Greece, Romania, and Latin America, with each adapting the German model with local modifications. In the 19th century, historical studies became professionalized at universities and research centers along with a belief that history was a type of science. In the 20th century, historians incorporated social science dimensions like politics, economy, and culture in their historiography, including postmodernism. Since the 1980s there has been a special interest in the memories and commemoration of past events.
Ancient historians were very different from modern historians in terms of goals, documentation, sources, and methods. For instance, chronological systems were not widely used, their sources were often absorbed (traceability of such sources usually disappeared), and the goal of an ancient work was often to create political or military paradigms. It was only after the emergence of Christianity that philosophies of history grew in prominence due to the destiny of man from the Christian account. Modern historians of the ancient world have to deal with diverse types of evidence, which are debated more today than in the 19th century due to innovations in the field.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is a Historian?
A historian is a scholar whose vocation is to research and narrate past human events across every time period. They are treated as an authority on the past, a status earned through publications, formal training, or deep experiential expertise.
What is a Historian's core method or role?
The historian's craft revolves around the systematic, continuous investigation of past events and the construction of a coherent narrative from the evidence. This disciplined, ongoing approach sets their work apart from casual storytelling or isolated anecdote.
When and where did the Historian profession first take shape?
The profession solidified in the late nineteenth century, growing out of the new research-university model in Germany. That institutional framework then became the template for professionalized historiography around the world.
How did the Historian profession spread beyond Germany?
After its late-19th-century German origins, the model reached Japan, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Russia, Scandinavia, Greece, Romania, and Latin America. Each region adapted the German template to its own academic and cultural traditions rather than copying it wholesale.
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