This question is related to this one: Where can I find the primary source for Herodotus' Histories?. Thank you to everyone who provided information there. That really helped!
I have some related questions. The context is: I am arguing with someone who hosts a blog/online community and who claims that ancient history is "a hoax". His argument focuses on evidence of/citations of primary sources for Herodotus' Histories (as an example) as well as the recent discovery of fragments of the original Oxyrhynchus Papyri. He uses an inductive argument with a weak inference/conclusion. I am trying to find more evidence but I have not studied these topics. The answers to the last question I posted helped so, again, thank you.
Here are the questions he came back with when I shared the information you all provided:
"What is the provenance of this source (codex A)? Who discovered it, how did they date it, when was it first cited, and who has owned/possessed this material ever since?"
"those fragments (Oxyrhynchus Papyri) were ‘discovered’ about 120 years ago. In a ‘rubbish dump’. By two Oxford Scholars. Who also happened to find papyrus fragments of the works of Plato, Euclid, Sophocles, homer, and others, in the same ‘rubbish dump’. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxyrhynchus_Papyri. Do you see a potential problem here? Or does this story seem believable to you?"
I suggested that he ask these questions of the community here himself, but I haven't heard back.
Any help with these questions and specifically facts or perspectives that may help with the suspicion/hoax claim would be useful. The argument he is using is weak, and I've already pointed that out, but I'm looking for historical facts/perspectives that some of you may have.
Thanks in advance!