If there is a thread more suitable, please direct me towards it. I asked my professor for help, but he says I have to figure it out on my own.
I was given the topic "Battle of Cunaxa" for a research paper in my class on Xenophon. I know about modern European history, but have zero experience in classics.
I don't know what my thematic focus for such a paper would be. My main source is Xenophon, so I don't want to just rephrase his account. I don't know how to put analysis in this.
I do apologize if there is a better place for this question, but I know this thread is generally pretty alive.
Thank you.
I have studied Xenophon quite a lot in my academic career, and particularly the Anabasis, in which he writes about the battle.
I'm not sure how exactly you want to approach the topic, or to what kind of level/length you wish it to be. However, there are some interesting aspects of Xenophon that you could involve in a discussion about the battle. Some of this may require some contextual knowledge about Greek historiography and Greek-Persian interactions in the period.
Could you tell me a bit more about what you want to do with this assignment and what kind of length you want it to be? For example, are you at all familiar with this period of Greek history? Do you wish to compare his account to other literary accounts? Are you wishing to re-write a historical account? Are you doing literary or historical analysis?
If I have been vague I apologise, it is late here. But I will likely be able to point you in a useful direction (sources, ideas etc) if you can tell me a little more about what you need to do.