The Madness of Cambyses

The Histories is the foundational work of Western historical writing, in which Herodotus of Halicarnassus records the rise of the Persian Empire and the great conflicts between Greece and Persia in the fifth century BC. Composed in nine books, this sweeping narrative moves from mythic origins and ethnographic inquiry to the climactic struggles at Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea. Along the way, Herodotus gathers reports of distant lands-Egypt, Scythia, Lydia, Babylon-preserving traditions, customs, geography, and political developments with curiosity and narrative breadth.More than a chronicle of war, The Histories is an exploration of power, culture, memory, and fate. Herodotus examines the causes of imperial expansion, the fragility of human fortune, and the interplay between ambition and hubris. His method-collecting testimonies, weighing versions of events, and distinguishing between report and judgment-established the foundations of historical inquiry while retaining the vitality of epic storytelling.This SMK Books omnibus edition presents the complete and unabridged text of all nine books in a single volume, offering readers the full scope of Herodotus's inquiry into the ancient Mediterranean world.

A transporting anthology of ancient Greek and Roman travel writings that capture the thrill of exploration and discovery—from Europe to the Holy Land and Egypt to India<BR><BR>At long last, a travel guide to the ancient world for the modern tourist—written by the ancients themselves. How to Travel gathers classic texts from Greek and Roman writers to explore what today’s readers can learn from ancient encounters with unfamiliar peoples, places, and customs.<BR><BR>The Greek historian Herodotus (ca. 484–425 BCE) is one of the most famous travelers of antiquity. His Histories, which chronicle his and others’ encounters with foreign peoples and places, have fascinated readers for millennia, and have much to teach about the secrets of good travel. In How to Travel, Herodotus and Tacitus take us on tours of Central Asia, Egypt, and Germania, while pilgrims like Pausanias and the Christian nun Egeria guide us through Greece and the Holy Land. Readers are whisked away to India to experience the ways of forest-dwelling sages and to the far reaches of Africa. And as if Earth weren’t enough, the satirist Lucian takes us to the Moon. But this whirlwind tour of antiquity is more than a pleasure cruise. Seneca cautions travelers that, go as far as we may, we can never escape ourselves. Gratitude, Egeria says, is the traveler’s proper response for the privilege. And Homer reminds us that, ultimately, there’s no place like home.<BR><BR>Featuring vivid new translations, an inviting introduction, and the original Greek and Latin texts on facing pages, How to Travel captures the thrill of exploration and discovery—and how new experiences, fresh vistas, and foreign cultures can change the traveler.

Translated with Notes by George Rawlinson. With an Introduction by Tom Griffith.Herodotus (c480-c425) is 'The Father of History' and his Histories are the first piece of Western historical writing. They are also the most entertaining. Why did Pheidippides run the 26 miles and 385 yards (or 42.195 kilometres) from Marathon to Athens? And what did he do when he got there? Was the Battle of Salamis fought between sausage-sellers? Which is the oldest language in the world? Why did Leonidas and his 300 Spartans spend the morning before the battle of Thermopylae combing their hair? Why did every Babylonian woman have to sit in the Temple of Aphrodite until a man threw a coin into her lap, and how long was she likely to sit there? And what is the best way to kill a crocodile? This wide-ranging history provides the answers to all these fascinating questions as well as providing many fascinating insights into the Ancient World.

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Paperback

Tom Holland's 'stirring new translation' (Telegraph) of Herodotus' Histories, one of the great books in Western history - now in paperback<BR><BR>The Histories of Herodotus, completed in the second half of the 5th century BC, is generally regarded as the first work of history and the first great masterpiece of non-fiction writing. Joined here are the sheer drama of Herodotus' narrative of the Persian invasions of Greece, and the endless curiosity - turning now to cannabis, now to the Pyramids - which make his book the source of so much of our knowledge of the ancient world.<BR><BR>This absorbing new translation, by one of Britain's most admired young historians, allows all the drama and mysteriousness of this great book to be fully appreciated by modern readers.<BR><BR>TOM HOLLAND is the author of Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic, which won the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize. Persian Fire, his history of the Graeco-Persian wars, won the Anglo-Hellenic League's Runciman Award in 2006. His most recent book, In the Shadow of the Sword, describes the collapse of Roman and Persian power in the Near East, and the emergence of Islam.<BR><BR>He has adapted Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides and Virgil for the BBC, and is the presenter of BBC Radio 4's Making History. In 2007, he was the winner of the Classical Association Prize awarded to 'the individual who has done most to promote the study of the language, literature and civilisation of Ancient Greece and Rome'. He served two years as the Chair of the Society of Authors 2009-11.<BR><BR>PAUL CARTLEDGE is the inaugural A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge. His numerous books include Sparta and Lakonia: A Regional History 1300-362 BC; The Greeks: A Portrait of Self and Others; Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World; Ancient Greece. A Very Short Introduction; and After Thermopylae: The Oath of Plataea and the End of the Graeco-Persian Wars. He is an Honorary Citizen of Sparta, Greece and holds the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour conferred by the President of the Hellenic Republic.<BR><BR>'Unquestionably the best English translation of Herodotus to have appeared in the last half-century, and there have been quite a few . . . fast, funny, opinionated, clear and erudite . . . I am in awe of Tom Holland's achievement' Edith Hall, TLS<BR><BR>'A labour of love . . . full of rattling good yarns . . . the minister for education should present each of his cabinet colleagues with a copy of Holland's admirable translation' Economist<BR><BR>'Tom Holland has been captivated by Herodotus since he was a child. His pleasure shines through his relaxed, idiomatic, expansive and often dramatic translation ... He, like Herodotus, is a storyteller par excellence' Peter Jones, New Statesman

The "Father of History."<BR><BR>Herodotus the great Greek historian was born about 484 BC, at Halicarnassus in Caria, Asia Minor, when it was subject to the Persians. He traveled widely in most of Asia Minor, Egypt (as far as Aswan), North Africa, Syria, the country north of the Black Sea, and many parts of the Aegean Sea and the mainland of Greece. He lived, it seems, for some time in Athens, and in 443 went with other colonists to the new city Thurii (in South Italy), where he died about 430. He was "the prose correlative of the bard, a narrator of the deeds of real men, and a describer of foreign places" (Murray).<BR><BR> Herodotus' famous history of warfare between the Greeks and the Persians has an epic dignity which enhances his delightful style. It includes the rise of the Persian power and an account of the Persian empire; a description and history of Egypt; and a long digression on the geography and customs of Scythia. Even in the later books on the attacks of the Persians against Greece there are digressions. All is most entertaining and produces a grand unity. After personal inquiry and study of hearsay and other evidence, Herodotus gives us a not uncritical estimate of the best that he could find.<BR><BR> The Loeb Classical Library edition of Herodotus is in four volumes.

"The History of Herodotus" is a seminal work written by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. Comprising multiple volumes, this monumental text is considered one of the earliest examples of historical writing and serves as a primary source for understanding the ancient world.In Volume I of "The History of Herodotus," the historian delves into the origins and events leading up to the Greco-Persian Wars, particularly focusing on the conflict between the Greek city-states and the mighty Persian Empire. Herodotus meticulously recounts the rise of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, its expansion under Darius I, and the subsequent Persian invasions of Greece.Through his narrative, Herodotus not only chronicles the military campaigns and political machinations of the era but also provides insights into the cultures, customs, and beliefs of the peoples involved. His accounts include vivid descriptions of battles, diplomatic negotiations, and legendary anecdotes, all of which contribute to a rich tapestry of ancient history.