Debra Hamel's book is a lively introduction to "The History of the Persian Wars", Herodotus' account of Persia's expansion under four kings-Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, and Xerxes - and its eventual collision with the city - states of Greece. "The History" can be a long slog for modern readers, but it is full of salacious tales about sex, violent death, divine prophecies, and cannibals. Following the structure of the original work, Hamel leads the reader through a colorful tour of the central stories that compose The History. She highlights the more interesting and important parts of the story while providing readers who are new to "Herodotus" with the background information necessary to appreciate the author's wide-ranging subject matter. At once academic and cheeky, the experience of this book is like "Reading Herodotus" while simultaneously consulting a history of Greece and a scholarly commentary on the text.

Hamel presents Herodotus and his material in an original, illuminating, and entertaining way. By leading the reader through Herodotus's text from beginning to end, the book provides an accessible introduction both to Herodotus and to an exciting period of Greek history, which culminates in the Persian Wars. -- Timothy E. Duff, University of Reading

About the Author
Debra Hamel is an independent scholar and the author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece.


Book Information
ISBN 9781421406565
Author Debra Hamel
Format Paperback
Page Count 360
Imprint Johns Hopkins University Press
Publisher Johns Hopkins University Press
Weight(grams) 499g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 22mm