The Landmark Herodotus: The Histories (Landmark Series) Paperback – Illustrated, June 2, 2009

As a general rule, I don't review classics. Classics are classics for a reason—they have withstood the test of time—and there is very little of value that I can add to what countless generations of readers and scholars have already said about them. You ought to read classics *because they are classics*, not because they get good reviews on Amazon or GoodReads. And if you are interested in ancient history, and especially the history of Ancient Greece and the Persian Empire, you really ought to read 'The Histories' by Herodotus.So, let's assume that you've decided to read Herodotus. Now you've got to decide which edition of 'The Histories' to get, because there are several editions to choose from. That is where a book review can actually be of some help, and that is why I have written this review—not to offer my opinions about what Herodotus wrote, but to share my thoughts on one specific edition of his classic text: 'The Landmark Herodotus,' translated from the original Greek by Andrea L. Purvis and edited by Robert B. Strassler, with contributions from various other scholars.Assuming that you are looking for an English language edition of 'The Histories', you are unlikely to find a better edition than this one. While I can't comment on the accuracy of the translation, since I have never read Herodotus in the original Greek (alas, my Ancient Greek is not yet good enough to even attempt it), I can say that it is very readable. Andrea L. Purvis has translated Herodotus's text into clear, easy-to-understand, modern English that is a delight to read. I might even go so far as to say that Purvis's translation of 'The Histories' is a "page turner." I never once got bored with what I was reading—not even when Herodotus went off on one of his notoriously long digressions—and I was always eager to find out what would happen next in the story.But there are plenty of good English translations of Herodotus out there to choose from. What makes this edition of 'The Histories' so special has less to do with the translation itself than with the "bonus materials" that accompany the text. First of all, there are the maps—lots and lots and lots of maps! (If you love maps as much as I do, this edition is worth getting just for the maps alone.) Every three or four pages in the book you'll find a map showing the various locations that Herodotus mentions in the surrounding text. Every landmark (e.g. town, temple, battle site, river, mountain, sea, country) that Herodotus mentions in his text is identified on these maps, if its location is known (though the locations of some of the places he mentions have not yet been identified). These maps really help the reader follow the narrative and visualize where the various events in 'The Histories' took place. (I must presume that this edition is called the "Landmark" Herodotus because of these maps.)In addition to the maps, there are a number of photos and illustrations that help readers to better visualize the places and things that Herodotus talks about in his narrative. There are also tons of footnotes that provide map references and other information of interest to the reader. Plus, at the beginning of each "chapter" in the text (most of which are only one or two paragraphs long), there is a marginal note indicating when and where the events recounted in that chapter took place (if known) and giving a brief summary of what the chapter is about. In addition to these useful features, there is a long introduction by Rosalind Thomas discussing the significance of Herodotus's work, as well as 21 appendices at the end, written by various scholars, that shed additional light on the people, places, cultures, and events mentioned throughout 'The Histories.' This edition also includes a detailed outline of Herodotus's text, which gives the dates and locations for each section of the narrative. There is also a glossary of terms that are used in the book, a list of ancient authors referred to in the book, a short bibliography, a truly massive and detailed index (probably the most extensive index to Herodotus that you will find in print), and last but not least, even more maps!—in the very back of the book there is a series of detailed reference maps, with a comprehensive index, showing the location of every landmark mentioned in the text (excepting, of course, those whose location is unknown). I don't think you're likely to find another edition of Herodotus that is even remotely as chock full of features designed to aid the reader as this one is. I definitely recommend it.Now, as much as I love this edition of 'The Histories', it isn't perfect, and I can't in good conscience praise its many virtues without at least mentioning, in passing, its few vices. There are, quite frankly, a number of errors in the footnotes. Some footnotes are simply missing (i.e. there is a pointer to the footnote in the text but no corresponding footnote at the bottom of the page); others provide the wrong information (e.g. references to the wrong map). These errors are annoying, to be sure, and there are far more of them than there ought to have been in a well-edited book, but I don't want to exaggerate their importance. No book can be expected to be perfect, and these mistakes aren't severe enough to seriously detract from the overall value of this otherwise excellent book. 'The Landmark Herodotus' is still worthy of an unqualified five-star rating as far as I'm concerned, despite the errors. I highly recommend it.Before I go, I should note that 'The Landmark Herodotus' is only one volume in a series of classic historical texts edited by Robert B. Strassler, and I look forward to one day soon reading the other books in this series, which include 'The Landmark Thucydides,' 'The Landmark Xenophon's Hellenika,' 'The Landmark Arrian,' and 'The Landmark Julius Caesar,' plus the forthcoming 'The Landmark Xenophon's Anabasis' and 'The Landmark Polybius.' If these turn out to be even half as good as 'The Landmark Herodotus,' they will be an absolute treat to read.- - -CAVEAT: Be sure you are ordering the right edition! I have noticed that, when there are multiple editions of the same book available on Amazon, reviews for one specific edition will sometimes show up on the product pages for other editions of that same book. My review is specifically meant for 'The Landmark Herodotus,' edited by Robert B. Strassler. Please make sure that you are ordering that edition and not some other one.

Excellent book. Hope I actually get to read it all.

Herodotus recorded primarily oral accounts of events leading up to the Persian Wars of 490 and 479-480 BCE and in the process describes the known world of his day. The detailed discussion (after a brief summary of mythic tales) begins at about 560 BC with Croesus of Lydia (he of "rich as Croesus") and concludes with the battle of Mycale and the siege of Sestos. He describes the interactions between Croesus and the Greek colonies on the coast of Asia Minor and then goes on to describe the foundation of the Persian Empire by Cyrus and its subsequent expansion under his successors. Herodotus perceives the conflict as the result of individual human actions, rather than of larger political and economic forces. His account is a grand story filled with digressions to describe a myriad individuals, places and historical anecdotes while building to the grand finale of the Greek victories over the Persians. The whole is a colorful, fascinating tapestry of Mediterranean life in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE.Reasons to Read HerodotusReaders interested in Ancient Greece can turn to many sources but reading Herodotus (and Thucydides) has the benefit of seeing Greece through the eyes of the ancient Greeks themselves. Thus the history and culture come alive from a first person perspective. The Histories are literally an `inquiry' (it was Herodotus who gave the word `history' its current meaning, until then there being no such concept) into the causes of the conflict between Greeks and Persians. He attempts to provide evidence for his conclusions and indicates where he disagrees with existing wisdom.Herodotus is an astonishingly sophisticated and cosmopolitan observer. In Book 2, Chapter 3, referring to the Egyptians, he observes that with regard to religion he does not think that any one nation knows much more about such things than any other. This attitude is not universal even now and was almost unheard of until the 20th century. Herodotus has influenced us in ways we may not suspect. The informal motto of the US postal service (...neither snow nor rain nor heat nor dark of night keeps them from completing their appointed course) comes from Book 8, Chapter 98, referring to the Persian system of royal couriers.The remarkable notion to emerge from reading the Histories is that while the emphasis seems to be on Greece, in fact it was the Persian Empire that was the 800 lb gorilla of the Mediterranean World. The war was in no way a conflict between the absolutes of good and evil. Numerous Greek cities sided with Persia, and there were influential pro-Persian lobbies even in the cities (e.g. Athens) that fought it. The exiled Spartan king Demaratos lived at the Persian court and accompanied Xerxes on his Greek expedition, advising him on the way. The Athenian general Themistocles after defeating the Persians on behalf of the Greeks ended up living at the court of Xerxes' successor in later life. The nuanced portrayal of antagonists (while recognizing affiliation to one side) is a special gift of the Greeks and dates back to Homer with his sympathetic portrayal of the Trojans.Reasons to read this particular editionThe Landmark Herodotus has several useful features. The Histories are all about the geography of the ancient world and maps are essential to understanding them. The Landmark Herodotus has the appropriate maps (127 in all) interspersed with every few pages of the text, supporting every episode for easy reference. Notes on the text occur at the bottom of each page instead of in a separate section at the end of the book, making reference easy. The text is cross-referenced, i.e. when Herodotus refers to something described elsewhere in the Histories notes indicate the precise book and chapter. A short summary of each chapter appears in the adjacent margin as a side note. This makes flipping back and forth easy. Finally, at the top of each page is a running head providing at a glance the date, location and a summary of the action on that page. Twenty-one appendices provide additional information. These are relatively short (a few pages each) and to the point, though of variable quality. Some provide additional information, some only commentary on the text. The index, glossary and bibliography are designed for the general reader wanting more information.Casual readers may find the world of Herodotus a strange and alien world. The more discerning reader will realize that the descriptions of politicians lying, cheating, changing sides and taking and giving bribes are no different from the headlines of today. This is what made the battle of Thermopylae stand out as an exception rather than the rule (then, as now). When King Leonidas realized he had a rare opportunity to demonstrate moral fiber he decided that it would `not be decent' for the Spartans to leave their post in the face of the much larger Persian army when he had been sent specifically to guard the pass. Instead, he dismissed his allies (perhaps forestalling them deserting anyway, but in any case saving their lives) and led a charge dying together with all 300 of his Spartans. His name has echoed down the millennia.Tell the Spartans, stranger passing by,That here obedient to their laws we lie.

If you enjoy history, this is a must. Well written, and though the author is ancient to us, he was writing about a time that was ancient to him!! Great addition to any personal library.