The Essential Herodotus Translation, Introduction, and Annotations by William A. Johnson

Breathing new life into the writings of the West's first historian, The Essential Herodotus combines balanced selections of his work with succinct commentary and notes. The first collection of its kind, this volume presents Herodotus's well-known writings on politics and war alongside his research on folk traditions, foreign cultures, and natural wonders. William A. Johnson's clear and lively translations make the original texts accessible in all their richness. Ideal for novices and historians alike, The Essential Herodotus reminds a 21st-century audience why these texts have stood the test of time.

William A. Johnson, Professor of Classical Studies at Duke University, works broadly in the cultural history of Greece and Rome. His books include Readers and Reading Culture in the High Roman Empire: A Study of Elite Reading Communities (OUP, 2010), Ancient Literacies (OUP, 2009), and Bookrolls and Scribes in Oxyrhynchus (2004).

Preface
About the Translator
Introduction
Maps
Central Persons in Herodotus
The Great Kings of Persia (The Achaemenids)
Time Line
THE RESEARCHES OF HERODOTUS OF HALICARNASSUS
BOOK 1
Prologue
Proem: The Opening Sentence
The Snatchings of Women
Croesus and Tales of Lydia
Croesus
Gyges and the Wife of Candaules
Early Kings of Lydia: Ardys, Sadyattes, Alyattes, & the War against Miletus
Periander at Corinth: Arion and the Dolphin
Croesus and Solon
Atys and Adrastus
Croesus Tests the Oracles
Croesus Seeks an Ally
Background: Athens
Background: Sparta
Croesus Attacks Cyrus
Cyrus Counterattacks: The Siege of Sardis
Croesus on the Pyre
Cyrus and Croesus
The Marvels and Customs of Lydia
Tales of Cyrus and the Rise of the Persians
Cyrus the Great
Background: Deioces, and the Rise of the Medes
The Birth and Upbringing of Cyrus
The Punishment of Harpagus
How Cyrus Became King
Cyrus's Last Campaign
The Land of the Massagetae
Cyrus Attacks the Massagetae
The Marvels and Customs of the Massagetae
BOOK 2
Cambyses and Tales of Egypt
Cambyses
Psammetichus and the Antiquity of Egypt
Physical Geography of Egypt
The Nile River
The Marvels and Customs of Egypt
The Kings of Egypt
BOOK 3
Cambyses Invades Egypt
The Causes for the Invasion
Preparations for the Invasion
The Attack on Egypt
Cambyses and the Apis Bull
The Madness of Cambyses
Crisis and Constitutional Debate
A False Smerdis Declares Himself King and Cambyses Dies
The Seven Overthrow the Magi
The Constitutional Debate
BOOK 4
Darius Invades Scythia
Why Darius Attacked Scythia
Origins of the Scythians
The Marvels and Customs of Scythia
Darius Prepares to Invade
Darius Crosses the Ister
Physical Geography of Scythia and Its Neighbors
Excursus: Sauromatae and the Amazons
The Neighboring States Take Counsel
The Scythians Lead and the Persians Follow
Darius Challenges the Scythians to Fight
Darius Retreats and the Scythians Give Chase
The Ionians at the Bridge and Darius's Arrival
BOOKS 5 AND 6
The Ionian Revolt
Aristagoras Visits Sparta
Athens and the Burning of Sardis
Histiaeus Hoodwinks Darius
The Persians Move to Reestablish Control Even as the Revolt Spreads
Histiaeus Joins the Revolt
Sea Battle at Lade and the Fall of Miletus
The Fate of Histiaeus
The Final Subjugation of Ionia
BOOK 6
The First Invasion of Greece: Mardonius and Marathon
The Invasion of Europe: Mardonius's Misadventure
Subjugation of the Cyclades
Subjugation of Eretria
The Battle of Marathon
BOOK 7
Xerxes Invades Greece
Darius Decides upon a Full-Scale Invasion
Council of the Persians
Xerxes and the Dream
Xerxes Prepares to Invade
Bridging the Hellespont
Xerxes Marches into Europe
Xerxes Counts and Reviews the Host
Xerxes and Demaratus
Artemisium and Thermopylae
Council at the Isthmus
Artemisium
Thermopylae
The Greek forces
Xerxes and Demaratus
BOOK 8
Salamis
The Greeks Evacuate Athens
The Greek Fleet
The Persians Occupy Attica and Burn Athens
The Greeks Deliberate. Themistocles Tries to Persuade Eurybiades
Signs from the Gods
The Persians Deliberate. Artemisia Tries to Persuade Xerxes
The Greek Resolve Wavers. Themistocles' Message to Xerxes
The Battle of Salamis
Xerxes Decides to Return to Susa
BOOK 9
Coda
Bibliography
Note on the Selections
Note on the Text
Acknowledgments
Photo Credits
Pronouncing Glossary/Index