A Pageturner
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I read this because I was travelling in north-western Turkey in which some of the action here took place and because I was still struggling after having read several histories of Ancient Greece to get a feel for the time.
This translation is as easy to read as a thriller, in terms of the language. The only thing that slows you down is Herodotus's incessant digressions. These are often fascinating as stories but are very diverse, as he goes into more or less the entire known history of the world at one place or another. However gradually things move towards a focus on the Persian wars, which are recounted in graphic detail, although the editors dispute the numbers of troops claimed by Herodotus.
The book does give a sense of what was important to people of the time in particular how no important decision could be made without consulting at least one oracle. The code of honour and the moral lessons drawn from events are all fascinating.
However the biggest surprise is how easy this is to read, and many of the stories are peaches. I particularly liked the story of Croesus which like so many in the book intertwines fact and fable.
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His stories
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Herodotus, the first historian, sets this examination of ancient history against a war between Greek and Persian armies. His incredibly detailed examination of this time is also an enjoyable read for those who are not immediately familiar with,(like me) or interested in, the politics and culture of the ancient middle Eastern and Greek countries, as at times he combines strict historical fact with gossip, and mixes in fantastic tales of cyclops, and ants guarding gold mines. On another level, it is an essential text for a Classics student, providing an in-depth look into the war with Persia, the rise and fall of the rulers of the ancient Greek city-states, and Herodotus' own travels across what was then the known world.
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