Herodotowe inspiracje w opowieści Prokopiusza o upadku królestwa Wandalów

The article points out some possible inspirations drawn from the work of Herodotus, as found in the books III and IV of the De bellis by Procopius of Caesarea. In the first part, I have compared the oration by John of Cappadocia, expressing his objections towards the plans for an African campaign and the emperor Justinian's subsequent hesitation, with the similar situation of a speech by Artabanes and the ensuing hesitation of Xerxes as regards taking a decision on a campaign against the Hellenes. The other part of the article deals with the narrative of Gelimer’s surrender and some possible inspirations de rived from Herodotus, with a particular emphasis on the motifs existing in the account on the fall of Croesus. In the present analysis, I have pointed to both similarities and the resulting differences as well as a deeper affinity reflected in a similar method of building a narrative structure, but also in a certain conception of history and the human fate existing beyond the events described there.