Abstract
The article tackles the intricate problem of how the proem of Eusebios' »Church History« relates to pagan historiography. As new as the project of the ›father‹ of »ecclesiastical historiography« may have been in principle: on a careful close reading and thorough cross comparison the proem reveals surprisingly many references to classical texts of ancient historiography, thus documenting Eusebios' familiarity with a literary tradition dating back to Herodotus and Thucydides.