This collection of essays illuminates Herodotus and the world in which he wrote.

Best-selling author Jeanne Bendick takes us for another informative—and amusing—journey into places and events of long ago. Herodotus and the Road to History, written in the first person, details the investigative journeys of Herodotus—a contemporary of the Old Testament prophet Malachi—as he takes ship from Greece and voyages to the limits of his own ancient world. His persistence, amidst disbelief and ridicule, in the self-appointed task of recording his discoveries as “histories” (the Greek word meaning “inquiry”), means that today we can still follow his expeditions into the wonder and mystery of Syria, Persia, Egypt and the “barbaric” north. Jeanne Bendick's lucid text, humorous illustrations and helpful maps entertain and instruct as they open the way for readers young and old to once again join Herodotus . . . on the road to history.

History begins with Herodotus (485–425 b.c.e.). Born in Halikarnassos, a gateway between the Greek and Persian worlds, Herodotus in his Histories narrates the great historical struggle between the Persian Empire and the Greek-speaking city-states at the dawn of the classical era. Herodotus does not merely list events or tell tales; his history inquires into the causes of events and casts its net wide to include ethnography and legend as well as political and military history. Book V of the Histories focuses on the Persians and their expansion into Thrakia and Makedonia, as well as their conflict with the Greeks of Ionia. Beginning in the timeless legends of prehistory, Herodotus discusses the customs of the Thrakians, offers insight into Sparta’s mindset, and narrates the struggle to restore democracy at Athens after the reign of the tyrant Peisistratos. The narrative of Book V sprawls over Asia, Africa, and Europe, naming more than 350 people and places. The reader will find in Herodotus a literate, keenly observant, wide-ranging guide to a time when Persia ruled 40 percent of the world's population and was confronted by an uneasy and fragile alliance of Greek city-states. In his introduction to the text and commentary, author Philip S. Peek outlines a process by which students of ancient Greek can develop translation and reading skills. For students’ convenience, Peek pairs the Greek text with the commentary and includes in the book’s appendices a case and function chart, an explanation of infinitives, a summary of the subjunctive and optative moods, a list of parsing terms, and a list of the 500 most commonly occurring Greek words. A comprehensive glossary rounds out the volume. As further aids to students, running vocabulary for each text section and a generalized list of the principal parts of verbs can be downloaded from oupress.com.

Jennifer Roberts introduces the background and writing of the 5th century Greek thinker and researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who invented the genre of historical investigation. She discusses all aspects of his work, including his fascination with his origins; his travels; his interest in seeing the world; and the recurring themes of his work.

An intriguing travel history exploring and evoking the world of Herodotus, with abundant commentary on the legacy and spirit of the "father of history" and the literary art he created.

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Herodotus, the great Greek historian, wrote this famous history of warfare between the Greeks and the Persians in a delightful style. Herodotus portrays the dispute as one between the forces of slavery on the one hand and freedom on the other. This work covers the rise of the Persian influence and a history of the Persian empire, a description and history of Egypt, and a long digression on the landscape and traditions of Scythia. Because of the comprehensiveness of this work, it was considered the founding work of history in Western literature. A must-have for history enthusiasts.