Hecataeus of Miletus

Hecataeus of Miletus was an ancient Greek historian and geographer, active around the 6th century BCE. He is best known for his works that aimed to systematize knowledge about the world, including "Genealogies," which focused on mythology and the origins of Greek families, and "World Map," which provided an early depiction of the known world. Hecataeus's writings contributed significantly to geography and historical narrative, marking a shift from mythological explanations to more systematic, scientific approaches in understanding human societies and their environments. His work laid the groundwork for later historians and geographers.