Biographies of mythological characters and heroes or simply of renown persons were primary forms of history. They are drawing nowadays a renewed interest from historians. The new fashion of biographies perceived as an approach to history is though very recent. Indeed, up to the mid fifties, even if not totally set aside, historical biographies were considered by the new breed of historians, quantitatively and econometrically oriented, as being old fashioned, conventional and "depassees".
biography; history; narrative; historical romance; individual.