The Histories (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Greco-Persian Wars, Ancient Empires, and the Origins of Western Historical ThoughtBy Herodotus
Length33h 18m
About this audiobook
Herodotus's The Histories is the foundational prose epic of historical inquiry, recounting the causes, course, and consequences of the Greco-Persian Wars while ranging widely across Egypt, Lydia, Scythia, Persia, and the Greek world. Its style is digressive, anecdotal, and ethnographic, blending political narrative, travel writing, oral tradition, and moral reflection. Composed in the fifth century BCE, it stands at the threshold between mythic storytelling and critical historiography, seeking not merely to record events but to preserve human achievement from oblivion. Herodotus of Halicarnassus, often called the "Father of History," lived in a cosmopolitan borderland shaped by Greek and Persian cultures. Exile, travel, and exposure to diverse peoples likely informed his curiosity about custom, empire, freedom, and fortune. His method—collecting reports, comparing versions, and signaling uncertainty—reveals an author fascinated by both evidence and the limits of knowledge. This book is essential for readers interested in classical literature, ancient history, imperial power, and the origins of historical thought. It rewards patience with unforgettable stories and a humane, searching intelligence.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.2 (68.1K)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon
GenreHistory
Length33 hrs 18 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 28, 2018
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Histories (Annotated)
14Book IV: Melpomene (pt. 2)
2Introduction
15Book V: Terpsichore
3Synopsis
16Book VI: Erato
4Historical Context
17Book VII: Polymnia (pt. 1)
5Author Biography
18Book VII: Polymnia (pt. 2)
Show all chaptersShow less
6Book I: Clio (pt. 1)
19Book VIII: Urania (pt. 1)
7Book I: Clio (pt. 2)
20Book VIII: Urania (pt. 2)
8Book I: Clio (pt. 3)
21Book IX: Calliope
9Book II: Euterpé (pt. 1)
22About Herodotus
10Book II: Euterpé (pt. 2)
23Analysis
11Book III: Thalia (pt. 1)
24Reflection
12Book III: Thalia (pt. 2)
25Memorable Quotes
13Book IV: Melpomene (pt. 1)
More from Herodotus
Yale Required Reading - Collected Works (Vol. 1) (Annotated)Herodotus, Sappho, Homer, Hesiod, Alcaeus, Archilochus, Anacreon, Theognis of Megara, Simonides of Ceos, Bacchylides, Pindar, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, Aristotle, Lysias, Demosthenes, Apollonius, Callimachus, Theocritus, Plutarch, Epictetus, Gilbert Murray202h 30m$3 · $0.00
The Persian Wars (Annotated)Herodotus25h 22m$2 · $0.00
The Persian WarsHerodotus25h 11m4.2 (74.5K)$1 · $0.00
The HistoriesHerodotus31h 43m4.3 (69.1K)$2 · $0.00
The Boys' and Girls' HerodotusHerodotus10h 54m3.0 (14)$2 · $0.00
An Account of EgyptHerodotus5h 4m4.0 (1.1K)$1 · $0.00
History of Ancient Greece and Roman Empire: 24 Essential BooksHerodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Arrian, Livy, Tacitus, Ammianus Marcellinus, Suetonius, Plutarch, Polybius, Sallust, Julius Caesar, Strabo, Flavius Josephus, John Bagnell Bury, Theodor Mommsen, Edward Gibbon857h 28m4.5 (26)$0.99
The History of Ancient Greece: 20 Essential BooksHerodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Arrian, Strabo, Plutarch, John Bagnell Bury, George Grote, Homer, Andrew Lang, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, E. Norman Gardiner, James Sir Donaldson, F. A. Wright, Alfred William Benn, H. A. Guerber, Albert Augustus Trever, Basil Edward Hammond, Ernest Arthur Gardner, E. M. Berens656h 27m4.4 (16)$0.99
The Persian WarsHerodotus26h 35m4.2 (75.8K)$1 · $0.00
The Histories of Herodotus (Summarized Edition)Herodotus7h 11m$2
The Histories (Annotated)Herodotus33h 40m4.2 (60.8K)$0.99 · $0.00
The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn21h 56m4.7 (8.9K)$46 · $0.00
Pearl of Great PriceJoseph Smith3h 8m4.7 (7.2K)$1.20 · $0.00
The Redeemer’s ReturnArthur W. Pink13h 18m4.7 (589)$20
The Happiest Man on EarthEddie Jaku3h 48m4.6 (178K)$7 · $0.00
MotherlandJulia Ioffe17h 52m4.7 (2.5K)$40 · $0.00
Where Cowards Go to DieBenjamin Sledge8h 42m4.7 (351)$20 · $0.00
The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America (Annotated)Howard Irving Chapelle, Tappan Adney13h 9m4.8 (150)$0.99 · $0.00
RevolutionariesSanjeev Sanyal11h 23m4.6 (2.6K)$29 · $0.00
We Crossed a Bridge and It TrembledWendy Pearlman6h4.6 (5.2K)$24 · $0.00
Unbroken Bonds of BattleJohnny Joey Jones8h 31m4.6 (2.6K)$8 · $0.00
The Daughter of AuschwitzTova Friedman, Malcolm Brabant7h 54m4.6 (16.7K)$26 · $0.00
Lily's PromiseLily Ebert, Dov Forman8h 54m4.6 (16.1K)$29 · $0.00
Saving My EnemyBob Welch9h 11m4.6 (2.3K)$20
On Democracies and Death CultsDouglas Murray10h 38m4.6 (6.5K)$29 · $0.00
Across the RiverKent Babb11h 40m4.6 (927)$29 · $0.00
The Red Record (Annotated)Ida B. Wells-Barnett5h 19m4.8 (102)$0.99 · $0.00
Balcony Over Jerusalem: A Middle East Memoir - Israel, Palestine and BeyondJohn Lyons12h 37m4.6 (1.4K)$33 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
EnduranceAlfred Lansing6h 1m4.6 (40.8K)$20
BeyondStephen Walker15h 39m4.6 (3.2K)$33 · $0.00
You may also like
History of the World (Updated)J. M. Roberts54h 42m4.2 (4.8K)$30
The Story of MankindHendrik Van Loon13h 39m3.6 (4.5K)Free
The Histories Vol 1Herodotus17h4.3 (1.1K)$2.30
Empires of the SteppesKenneth W. Harl17h 13m4.0 (1.5K)$40 · $0.00
History of the Conquest of Mexico (Vol. 1-4)William Hickling Prescott47h 48m4.2 (5.8K)$1 · $0.00
An Account of EgyptHerodotus3h 44m4.0 (1.1K)Free
The GreeksDiane Harris Cline6h 23m4.1 (547)$17
The Story of the Volsungs (Volsunga Saga); with Excerpts from the Poetic EddaAnonymous5h 55m4.1 (2.4K)$2 · $0.00
The Story of EgyptJoann Fletcher17h 26m4.0 (2K)$25
The Persian WarsHerodotus26h 35m4.2 (75.8K)$1 · $0.00
History of the Conquest of Mexico (Vol. 1-4) (Annotated)William Hickling Prescott52h 1m4.3 (6.1K)$2 · $0.00
The History of Antiquity (Vol. 1-6) (Annotated)Max Duncker92h 42m4.1 (33)$2 · $0.00
The Greatest Empires & Civilizations of the Ancient EastGeorge Rawlinson145h 7m$2 · $0.00
The Ancient History of the Near EastHenry Hall28h 36m3.7 (108)$1 · $0.00
The Great Civilizations of the Ancient East (Annotated)George Rawlinson145h 31m$2 · $0.00
The Boys' and Girls' HerodotusHerodotus10h 54m3.0 (14)$2 · $0.00
The Essential Works of George Rawlinson (Annotated)George Rawlinson145h 34m$2 · $0.00
An Account of EgyptHerodotus3h 41m$2.30
Ancient Egypt: History, Mythology & LiteratureLewis Spence, Arthur Gilman, George Rawlinson, E. A. Wallis Budge, Gaston Maspero, Agnes Sophia Griffith Johns47h 11m4.2 (18)$1 · $0.00
PERSIA (Illustrated)George Rawlinson13h 51m$2 · $0.00