The Histories

What Are the Histories About?

Herodotus set out to preserve "the great and wonderful deeds" of both Greeks and non-Greeks, and to explain why they went to war. The central narrative is the conflict between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states, culminating in the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis.

But Herodotus is much more than a war correspondent. He digresses into the customs of Egyptians, Persians, Scythians, and dozens of other peoples. He describes pyramids, mummification, the Nile floods, and the customs of nomadic tribes — always with curiosity rather than contempt.

His overarching theme is hubris: great empires fall when their rulers overreach. The Persian king Xerxes, who whipped the sea and bridged the Hellespont, embodies this — and his defeat by tiny, fractious Greece becomes a moral lesson about freedom, moderation, and the limits of power.

Why the Histories Still Matter

• The birth of history: Before Herodotus, the past was preserved in myth and poetry. He pioneered inquiry-based narrative.
• Cultural curiosity: Herodotus treats foreign peoples with remarkable openness — a model for cross-cultural understanding.
• Freedom vs. tyranny: The Greek victory over Persia became the founding story of Western democratic ideals.
• Storytelling: Herodotus is a magnificent storyteller. His digressions are often the best parts.

Why Classical Schools Teach It

The Histories is a staple of the Great Books curriculum and pairs naturally with the study of ancient civilization at Saints Classical Academy.

• Introduces students to historical thinking — evidence, sources, interpretation
• Provides essential context for Greek philosophy, tragedy, and politics
• Develops geographic and cultural literacy about the ancient world
• Pairs with Thucydides to compare approaches to writing history