Author(s): Herodotus

Classics

'The two sides rained arrows down upon one another from a distance; then, when all their missiles were spent, they clashed and grappled together in close combat, stabbing with spears, fighting hand to hand with daggers.' The Histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus is considered the first work of non-fiction and the first work of history. Written about 440 BC, The Histories tells (among much else) the story of the war between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states in the 5th century BC. It is full of bizarre stories, hearsay and pieces of information gathered - and is the way we know much of what we know about the ancient world. Tom Holland presents Herodotus in a fresh modern translation, showing how curious and quirky he was, and often how funny. It makes this great storyteller compelling reading once more.