The historia magistra vitae and Postmodernism

Abstract

This paper proposes a critique of some current views in Theory of History, mainly by Reinhart Koselleck and Jörn Rüsen, but also by the Post-Moderns, who identify a radical break between
historiographical models of classical antiquity and modernity. Starting from the preliminary analysis of Arnaldo Momigliano on the issue, I propose to identify the different approaches of
these modern authors as part of a Zeitgeist that has discarded some ancient assumptions of the relationship between history, truth, utility and example, offering a reframe of such relationships for our contemporary times.