How did the ancient Greeks view ancient history? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

How did the ancient Greeks view ancient history?

by breakfree9895

The ancient Greeks have been fascinating for me and so influential to western civilization. I was wondering how the ancient Greeks viewed ancient (to them) history and the people that came before them. Did they study ancient history and, if so, how did it impact their culture and civilization?

Thanks in advance.

jelvinjs7

Not to discourage any further answers, but here's a host of answers that you may find interesting:

/u/toldinstone goes into what the ancient Greeks and Romans thought they knew about ancient ruins in Did ancient civilizations have ancient civilizations? (Bonus round: the whole thread features an excellent discussion on the same topic for several other civilizations!)
From /u/KiwiHellenist,
How did the ancient Greeks and Romans imagine their Bronze Age ancestors?
Mapping out what the Greeks thought Odyssey's journey looked like
What sort of world, or time period, did the Ancient Greeks imagine their myths took place in?
Complementing the previous one, /u/UndercoverClassicist also addresses When did the Greek myths "happen" from the perspective of the ancient Greeks? Did the stories about heroes like Jason and Perseus happen in their ancient past, or did they believe these things were ongoing around them in real time?