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The Greek Histories: The Sweeping History of Ancient Greece as Told by Its First Chroniclers: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch
From the leading scholars behind The Greek Plays, a collection of the best translations of the foremost Greek historians, presenting a sweeping history of ancient Greece as recorded by its first chroniclers
“Just the thing to remind us that human history, though lamentably a work in progress, is always something we can understand better.”—Sarah Ruden, translator of The Gospels and author of The Face of Water
The historians of ancient Greece were pioneers of a new literary craft; their work stands among the world’s most enduring and important legacies and forms the foundation of a major modern discipline. This highly readable edition includes new and newly revised translations of selections from Herodotus—often called the “father of history”—Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch, the four greatest Greek innovators of historical narrative. Here the reader will find their most important, and most widely taught, passages collected in a single volume. The excerpts chart the landmark events of ancient Greece and provide a comprehensive account of the entire classical Greek age.
From the start the Greek historians demonstrated how broad and varied historical writing could be and brought their craft beyond a mere chronicle of past events. This volume explores each author’s interest in religion, leadership, character, and the lessons of war. How, for instance, should readers interpret Herodotus’ inclusion of speeches and dialogues, dreams, and oracles as part of the “factual” record? What did Thucydides understand about human nature that (as he said) stays constant throughout time? How did Plutarch frame historical biography as a means of depicting the moral qualities of great men?
Complete with introductions to the works of each historian, footnotes providing context and explaining obscurities, maps, and an appendix on the Greek conduct of war, this volume is an invaluable resource for students and passionate readers of history alike.
“Just the thing to remind us that human history, though lamentably a work in progress, is always something we can understand better.”—Sarah Ruden, translator of The Gospels and author of The Face of Water
The historians of ancient Greece were pioneers of a new literary craft; their work stands among the world’s most enduring and important legacies and forms the foundation of a major modern discipline. This highly readable edition includes new and newly revised translations of selections from Herodotus—often called the “father of history”—Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch, the four greatest Greek innovators of historical narrative. Here the reader will find their most important, and most widely taught, passages collected in a single volume. The excerpts chart the landmark events of ancient Greece and provide a comprehensive account of the entire classical Greek age.
From the start the Greek historians demonstrated how broad and varied historical writing could be and brought their craft beyond a mere chronicle of past events. This volume explores each author’s interest in religion, leadership, character, and the lessons of war. How, for instance, should readers interpret Herodotus’ inclusion of speeches and dialogues, dreams, and oracles as part of the “factual” record? What did Thucydides understand about human nature that (as he said) stays constant throughout time? How did Plutarch frame historical biography as a means of depicting the moral qualities of great men?
Complete with introductions to the works of each historian, footnotes providing context and explaining obscurities, maps, and an appendix on the Greek conduct of war, this volume is an invaluable resource for students and passionate readers of history alike.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published January 18, 2022
50 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Mary R. Lefkowitz
22 books23 followersMary R. Lefkowitz (born April 30, 1935), American scholar of Classics. She studied at Wellesley College before obtaining a Ph.D. in Classical Philology from Radcliffe College in 1961. Lefkowitz has published on subjects including mythology, women in antiquity, Pindar, and fiction in ancient biography.
She came to the attention of a wider audience through her criticism of the claims of Martin Bernal in Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization in her book Not Out of Africa: How Afrocentrism Became an Excuse to Teach Myth As History. In Black Athena Revisited (1996), which she edited with Guy MacLean Rogers, her colleague at Wellesley College, the ideas of Martin Bernal are further scrutinized.
She came to the attention of a wider audience through her criticism of the claims of Martin Bernal in Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization in her book Not Out of Africa: How Afrocentrism Became an Excuse to Teach Myth As History. In Black Athena Revisited (1996), which she edited with Guy MacLean Rogers, her colleague at Wellesley College, the ideas of Martin Bernal are further scrutinized.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 19, 2025
Rounding up to 4 stars
I love that someone finally took on the task of curating the highlights of the works of these classical historians into a single reasonably sized and easily digestible book. I’ve put off reading Herodotus’s nine-book Histories because it’s, well, nine books. So this abridgment is quite welcome.
Of the four authors, I enjoyed Herodotus’s recounting of the Greco-Persian war the most, and Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War was also very good. I was less enthralled by Xenophon’s Anabasis (his account of the Greek military march into Persia), and by the time I got to the selection of biographies from Plutarch (on Alexander the Great and Demetrius) I was running out of gas.
These guys were too often more interested in imagining the speeches that their subjects may have made during debates rather than describing the historical details of what actually transpired. There are not nearly enough military details provided for my taste, but that was not the fault of the book’s editors.
I found it interesting that Herodotus’s story of the Battle of Marathon has Philippides run from Athens to Sparta (about 150 miles) and he doesn’t collapse and die. Apparently the story that I’ve heard was the version from Lucius in the 2nd century AD.
Learning these histories used to be the core of any classical education, but no longer. I fully acknowledge the dangers of chronological snobbery, but for better or worse these historical figures are no longer the heroes from whom we learn or draw inspiration. At most, they are merely familiar names. But of course we have our own set of more recent heroes to learn from—Washington and the rest of the founding fathers, Lincoln, Churchill, Napoleon, etc. Perhaps I would adjust my opinion after reading more Plutarch, but when it comes to biographies I would regard those of Chernow, McCullough, and Goodwin as significant, and more valuable, upgrades.
I love that someone finally took on the task of curating the highlights of the works of these classical historians into a single reasonably sized and easily digestible book. I’ve put off reading Herodotus’s nine-book Histories because it’s, well, nine books. So this abridgment is quite welcome.
Of the four authors, I enjoyed Herodotus’s recounting of the Greco-Persian war the most, and Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War was also very good. I was less enthralled by Xenophon’s Anabasis (his account of the Greek military march into Persia), and by the time I got to the selection of biographies from Plutarch (on Alexander the Great and Demetrius) I was running out of gas.
These guys were too often more interested in imagining the speeches that their subjects may have made during debates rather than describing the historical details of what actually transpired. There are not nearly enough military details provided for my taste, but that was not the fault of the book’s editors.
I found it interesting that Herodotus’s story of the Battle of Marathon has Philippides run from Athens to Sparta (about 150 miles) and he doesn’t collapse and die. Apparently the story that I’ve heard was the version from Lucius in the 2nd century AD.
Learning these histories used to be the core of any classical education, but no longer. I fully acknowledge the dangers of chronological snobbery, but for better or worse these historical figures are no longer the heroes from whom we learn or draw inspiration. At most, they are merely familiar names. But of course we have our own set of more recent heroes to learn from—Washington and the rest of the founding fathers, Lincoln, Churchill, Napoleon, etc. Perhaps I would adjust my opinion after reading more Plutarch, but when it comes to biographies I would regard those of Chernow, McCullough, and Goodwin as significant, and more valuable, upgrades.
January 6, 2022
The Greek Histories. Essential selections from Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch.
Edited and annotated by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm. Appendix by Jon E. Lendon. Translations by seven individuals, including the authors.
The Modern Library (New York); 2022
Uncorrected eBook file. Ebook ISBN 978-1-9848-5431-5
Thanks to Net Galley for providing an early version of the text. I was excited to see the book listed in future offerings and was fortunate to receive a copy to review. My interest in early Greek writers came at a young age for me, thanks to a seventh-grade teacher who introduced my classroom to many ancient Greek, Roman, and other cultures that formed the BCE world. More than 50 years later, I can still remember the weight of the assigned textbook that was crowded with the description of events that were quite exciting to me. [I cannot go so far to say that my classmates shared my interest and excitement!]
The Greek Histories in the version offered by Lefkowitz and Romm is designed to introduce readers to four very important voices describing important events in the centuries before the current era. Of the four writers, Xenophon was new to me, at least as a source. The editors do a superb job of introducing each person, providing details of their perspective on events, and their importance to future generations of historians. The text is worth the price for their analyses of the events depicted by the authors. The individual segments are supplemented by maps and an occasional photograph.
Lendon’s appendix, Warfare and Battle in the Greek World, begins with a quotation from Xenophon on combat between Greek forces and their opponents. While the appendix is quite short, the author provides a starting point for readers who would like to locate additional sources on military techniques relevant to the era.
In sum, The Greek Histories is an excellent starting point to examine the contributions of a handful of individuals who shaped the way in which generations of writers have interpreted actions and events central to the human experience. I hope the book receives the attention that it richly deserves.
Edited and annotated by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm. Appendix by Jon E. Lendon. Translations by seven individuals, including the authors.
The Modern Library (New York); 2022
Uncorrected eBook file. Ebook ISBN 978-1-9848-5431-5
Thanks to Net Galley for providing an early version of the text. I was excited to see the book listed in future offerings and was fortunate to receive a copy to review. My interest in early Greek writers came at a young age for me, thanks to a seventh-grade teacher who introduced my classroom to many ancient Greek, Roman, and other cultures that formed the BCE world. More than 50 years later, I can still remember the weight of the assigned textbook that was crowded with the description of events that were quite exciting to me. [I cannot go so far to say that my classmates shared my interest and excitement!]
The Greek Histories in the version offered by Lefkowitz and Romm is designed to introduce readers to four very important voices describing important events in the centuries before the current era. Of the four writers, Xenophon was new to me, at least as a source. The editors do a superb job of introducing each person, providing details of their perspective on events, and their importance to future generations of historians. The text is worth the price for their analyses of the events depicted by the authors. The individual segments are supplemented by maps and an occasional photograph.
Lendon’s appendix, Warfare and Battle in the Greek World, begins with a quotation from Xenophon on combat between Greek forces and their opponents. While the appendix is quite short, the author provides a starting point for readers who would like to locate additional sources on military techniques relevant to the era.
In sum, The Greek Histories is an excellent starting point to examine the contributions of a handful of individuals who shaped the way in which generations of writers have interpreted actions and events central to the human experience. I hope the book receives the attention that it richly deserves.
June 30, 2025
This is a collection of choice excerpts from Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch. Along with this, there is some excellent commentary and background provided by the editor. I will eventually make towards critical versions of Herodotus and Thucydides. In my opinion, Thucydides is the star but Herodotus is well worth reviewing (and likely to have been quoted/mentioned elsewhere. The biggest chunk of Thucydides is the Sicilian expedition of Athens - which retains the most relevance to current geopolitics (Vietnam??). The Xenophon selections are helpful for fleshing out the history of Greece from the end of the Peloponnesian Wars to the rise of Alexander. Plutarch is less a historian but also fun to read.
It is better in my opinion to read the original works but if one is short on time, this is a nice colllection.
It is better in my opinion to read the original works but if one is short on time, this is a nice colllection.
January 17, 2022
I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Greek Histories: The Sweeping History of Ancient Greece as Told by Its First Chroniclers: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch by Mary Lefkowitz & James Romm from Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group in order to read and give an honest review.
…Well-researched, this book is a valuable resource for those beginning their journey to understand our past…
I have recently been studying Ancient Greece and have read quite a bit from Herodotus but have always been interested in hearing from other great minds of the time. Lefkowitz and Romm have produced a wonderful introduction to four distinct and learned voices from ancient Greek historians, Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch. Each section begins with an introduction discussing the historian in question and the time before delving into details of momentous events. Each section helps the reader to step back in time and gain insight into what we know of Greek History.
Well-researched, this book is a valuable resource for those beginning their journey to understand our past. Containing accounts of battles, plagues, and journeys, this book has it all. Each section ends with endnotes containing valuable references and includes an appendix at the end “Warfare and Battle in the Greek World” by Jon E Lendon.
Thrilled to have had the opportunity to read and review and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the History of Ancient Greece. I found the book interesting, and it will definitely be a book I delve back into time and again.
…Well-researched, this book is a valuable resource for those beginning their journey to understand our past…
I have recently been studying Ancient Greece and have read quite a bit from Herodotus but have always been interested in hearing from other great minds of the time. Lefkowitz and Romm have produced a wonderful introduction to four distinct and learned voices from ancient Greek historians, Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch. Each section begins with an introduction discussing the historian in question and the time before delving into details of momentous events. Each section helps the reader to step back in time and gain insight into what we know of Greek History.
Well-researched, this book is a valuable resource for those beginning their journey to understand our past. Containing accounts of battles, plagues, and journeys, this book has it all. Each section ends with endnotes containing valuable references and includes an appendix at the end “Warfare and Battle in the Greek World” by Jon E Lendon.
Thrilled to have had the opportunity to read and review and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the History of Ancient Greece. I found the book interesting, and it will definitely be a book I delve back into time and again.
September 1, 2025
My cousin, Barry, and I wanted to explore the classical Greek historians without reading the entire opus and wondered whether there was a well-rendered collection of the essentials. This is it. Should be required reading for all collegians to better understand the motivations and nature of the classical world and, thus, the ongoing motivations and nature of humankind. It is striking to me, however, that although we share the same nature, we have indeed progressed and advanced better ways of managing our motivations that have resulted in a world of 8 billion and, despite the 24/7 news cycle, less poverty and naked warfare than was endemic to the classical world. We sacrifice the slow-wrought gains of our civilization at our peril.
December 22, 2021
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Modern Library for an advanced copy of this new historical collection.
Classic scholars Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm have in their book The Greek Histories: The Sweeping History of Ancient Greece as Told by Its First Chroniclers: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch, collected works from these 4 ancient observers and historians an presented the best of them as a larger book on the history of Greek civilizaton. Accompanying their work are footnotes, maps explanations and general history of the time, along with som new translations of the classic works. Wars, plagues, successions, even trvel essays are covered in this volume, which is a good start for anyone new to Greek Studies, or a fine companion piece to their earlier work the Greek Plays.
A perfect gift for one just starting out in Greek history, or for anyone interested in history in general.
Classic scholars Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm have in their book The Greek Histories: The Sweeping History of Ancient Greece as Told by Its First Chroniclers: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch, collected works from these 4 ancient observers and historians an presented the best of them as a larger book on the history of Greek civilizaton. Accompanying their work are footnotes, maps explanations and general history of the time, along with som new translations of the classic works. Wars, plagues, successions, even trvel essays are covered in this volume, which is a good start for anyone new to Greek Studies, or a fine companion piece to their earlier work the Greek Plays.
A perfect gift for one just starting out in Greek history, or for anyone interested in history in general.
May 29, 2022
A one stop shop or greatest hits album or classical Greek primary sources
April 20, 2024
This was a great selection of writings by the most relevant historians of the ancient Greek world, Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon and Plutarch. The most famous passages are transcribed and the editors fill in the gaps with concise little paragraphs that keep the flow going. I really enjoyed this format and how the editors also call attention to the fact that "history" as we know it today was not exactly what these authors were practicing, not quite, but they also explain how the ancient historians already had a great interest in different sources, motivation, causes and their future readership. It is interesting to see the different historians personality through their writings. For example, Herodotus sometimes thinks the gods might have been intervening in the Homeric sense while Thucydides barely pays lip service to them and Xenophon definitely believes in them but seems to consider them as part of the orderly state. Also interesting , all of them except Plutarch actually participated in wars and conquests. Also interesting to notice that while for Herodotus major historical events have “personal” causes, a desire for revenge, a love affair.. for Thucydides is more a question of logistics and bad decisions. Xenophon has a lot more of a private view of things, attacking every problem as it comes and trying to be on top of things. Plutarch is definitely seduced by great personalities.
The most surprising revelation for me was that the Greeks (Hellenes ) were a far cry from a solid monolithic culture, serenely poised overlooking the Aegean arguing about “beauty” or “democracy” . That too but …quite the contrary, they were a messy, bellicose, extremely fractured bunch. Murderous among themselves and rarely able to keep their alliances or democratic attempts intact even when they have the Persians at their doorstep. It took one Alexander the Great to actually, briefly, put them all in order. Needless to say it didn't last. Even with the constant menace of Persia at their doorstep, the Greeks kept the quarrels going. It’s a miracle they ever built the Parthenon.
There are many other fascinating take-aways. For example: The famed Athenian democracy was brittle as a butterfly wing and subject to fall to he oligarchy with the slightest excuse. Spartans despised democracy as a form of government and definitely embraced the superiority of some classes over others. So did Xenophon. Slaves were abundant and taken to war at every chance but rarely accounted for. Women are barely visible beyond advantageous marriages.
Herodotus is a man of the world, born in Halicarnassus and familiar with the habits of the Persians as well as the Greeks, he is quite well travelled and eager to tell us about all the wonders he has seen and those that are fanciful hearsay, like the giant gold-digging ants of India or the flying snakes of Egypt. Herodotus has received the dubious honor of being nicknamed "The Father of Lies" but it would be extremely unfair to say his "Histories" (from the Greek work for inquiry) are of no value, quite the contrary, they are a massive source of information .His main story line concerns the expansion of the Persians and their confrontation with the Greeks. We owe to him vivid narrations of the battles of Marathon, the Thermopylae (of the "3oo" Leonidas’ Spartans against the Persian king Artaxerses fame) and Salamis among many other descriptions of the Persian and Greek worlds and their not always clear boundaries.
Tuchydides is a different man. His is a more resigned view of human nature, a lot more interested on cause and effect and on accurate observations of weapons, ships, field conditions, etc.. . He is concerned with the Peloponnesian wars, the struggle for domination within Hellas itself and the absolutely misguided and incompetent attempt to invade Sicily by the Athenians. Some gems in his writings include Pericles' Funeral Oration, a remarkable piece of oratory. He remains shockingly unbiased for an athenian all things considered.
Xenophon was another soldier turned historian. A self-made man, his "Anabasis" o the "going up" is another continuation of the more aggressive stance against the Persians but it stands out for the description of him and his troops escaping Cyrus and ending up in the Black Sea. This is an extraordinary feat by any means and vividly described. Xenophon gives us the "gist" of battles and takes some pains to justify himself and his methods as a leader.
Plutarch is Greek but living under the Romans. His "Parallel lives" are a series of biographies including some very juicy ones like those of Demetrius and Alexander the Great.
In short, this book is absolutely packed with history in its strict sense but also questions about how to tell history, what is to be unbiased, show all sides, what gets ignored, what is self-serving and how one cal look at human events in so many different ways. I wish I had a lifetime to read all these authors but until then, this is a great start.
The most surprising revelation for me was that the Greeks (Hellenes ) were a far cry from a solid monolithic culture, serenely poised overlooking the Aegean arguing about “beauty” or “democracy” . That too but …quite the contrary, they were a messy, bellicose, extremely fractured bunch. Murderous among themselves and rarely able to keep their alliances or democratic attempts intact even when they have the Persians at their doorstep. It took one Alexander the Great to actually, briefly, put them all in order. Needless to say it didn't last. Even with the constant menace of Persia at their doorstep, the Greeks kept the quarrels going. It’s a miracle they ever built the Parthenon.
There are many other fascinating take-aways. For example: The famed Athenian democracy was brittle as a butterfly wing and subject to fall to he oligarchy with the slightest excuse. Spartans despised democracy as a form of government and definitely embraced the superiority of some classes over others. So did Xenophon. Slaves were abundant and taken to war at every chance but rarely accounted for. Women are barely visible beyond advantageous marriages.
Herodotus is a man of the world, born in Halicarnassus and familiar with the habits of the Persians as well as the Greeks, he is quite well travelled and eager to tell us about all the wonders he has seen and those that are fanciful hearsay, like the giant gold-digging ants of India or the flying snakes of Egypt. Herodotus has received the dubious honor of being nicknamed "The Father of Lies" but it would be extremely unfair to say his "Histories" (from the Greek work for inquiry) are of no value, quite the contrary, they are a massive source of information .His main story line concerns the expansion of the Persians and their confrontation with the Greeks. We owe to him vivid narrations of the battles of Marathon, the Thermopylae (of the "3oo" Leonidas’ Spartans against the Persian king Artaxerses fame) and Salamis among many other descriptions of the Persian and Greek worlds and their not always clear boundaries.
Tuchydides is a different man. His is a more resigned view of human nature, a lot more interested on cause and effect and on accurate observations of weapons, ships, field conditions, etc.. . He is concerned with the Peloponnesian wars, the struggle for domination within Hellas itself and the absolutely misguided and incompetent attempt to invade Sicily by the Athenians. Some gems in his writings include Pericles' Funeral Oration, a remarkable piece of oratory. He remains shockingly unbiased for an athenian all things considered.
Xenophon was another soldier turned historian. A self-made man, his "Anabasis" o the "going up" is another continuation of the more aggressive stance against the Persians but it stands out for the description of him and his troops escaping Cyrus and ending up in the Black Sea. This is an extraordinary feat by any means and vividly described. Xenophon gives us the "gist" of battles and takes some pains to justify himself and his methods as a leader.
Plutarch is Greek but living under the Romans. His "Parallel lives" are a series of biographies including some very juicy ones like those of Demetrius and Alexander the Great.
In short, this book is absolutely packed with history in its strict sense but also questions about how to tell history, what is to be unbiased, show all sides, what gets ignored, what is self-serving and how one cal look at human events in so many different ways. I wish I had a lifetime to read all these authors but until then, this is a great start.
October 11, 2022
Although I had previously read both Herotodus' "Histories" -- literally, by the way, "Inquiries" (not a bad way to look at historical studies) -- and Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian Wars," I was attracted to this volume from the folks at the venerable Modern Library because it also featured excerpts from the writings of two others of whom I had read very little, Xenophon and Plutarch.
Having finished this volume, through a leisurely reading regime that allowed me to reflect on each work included, I think people who would most likely find this book of interest could really include both those who have read much -- or at least some -- of the works of these four writers as well as those who are unfamiliar with them entirely.
These authors -- unlike the compilers of the books of the Old Testament or Homer's epics -- were the first to attempt to write what we would today understand to be "real history."
That is, they made a strong effort to interview eyewitnesses, scholars, participants, and reliable secondary sources in order to write for us fairly accurate renditions of what "actually happened," even if some of the conventions of the time made what they recorded as speeches actually given to be more what the authors "think the principals involved would have said under the circumstances" rather than what was actually said (there being no recording devices that could reply actual speeches at the time). One of the best examples of this is Thucydides' rendering of Pericles' famous speech to the Athenians. THAT Pericles gave a speech, and THAT his subject manner and speaking style was known to Thucydides, allowed the historian to give us his LIKELY words.
Save for this significant caveat, however, it is striking both how accurate these writings apparently are as well as how immediate they still seem as we read them.
Of the writers, Herodotus remains my favorite, even though he is likely to have been often the least accurate at times. For instance, he frequently cites reports of lands, animals, and strange varieties of humans about which he is TOLD, but about which he has no first-hand knowledge, and some of these are more than a little fantastic to modern eyes.
However, most of what he writes, as he takes pains to tell us, was based on his careful research, and the man is known to have been widely traveled throughout the Mediterranean world of his time (a few centuries before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth).
In his visit(s) to Egypt, for example, at one point he mentions that in conversations with Egyptian priests he was told that they had records going back several thousand years. If those records still exist somewhere -- modern archaeology gives evidence every day that much is NOT lost "forever" -- we would find accounts that would tell us of some aspects of life in the Egypt of, say, 8,000 or 10,000 B.C. Wouldn't that be fascinating to have?
And Thucydides' account of the long wars between Athens and Sparta, the eventual result of which was the destruction of classical Athens and the ushering in of centuries of the decline of Greek power, a major factor explaining the conquests of Alexander the Great and of his father Philip before him short decades later.
And these works remain important because of the way that Greek thought remains so powerful in shaping many of our thoughts today, including democracy, the power of logic and reason, and the beginnings of natural science (which is what "philosophy" was originally called).
Dip your figurative "toes" in and you might the "water" good!
Having finished this volume, through a leisurely reading regime that allowed me to reflect on each work included, I think people who would most likely find this book of interest could really include both those who have read much -- or at least some -- of the works of these four writers as well as those who are unfamiliar with them entirely.
These authors -- unlike the compilers of the books of the Old Testament or Homer's epics -- were the first to attempt to write what we would today understand to be "real history."
That is, they made a strong effort to interview eyewitnesses, scholars, participants, and reliable secondary sources in order to write for us fairly accurate renditions of what "actually happened," even if some of the conventions of the time made what they recorded as speeches actually given to be more what the authors "think the principals involved would have said under the circumstances" rather than what was actually said (there being no recording devices that could reply actual speeches at the time). One of the best examples of this is Thucydides' rendering of Pericles' famous speech to the Athenians. THAT Pericles gave a speech, and THAT his subject manner and speaking style was known to Thucydides, allowed the historian to give us his LIKELY words.
Save for this significant caveat, however, it is striking both how accurate these writings apparently are as well as how immediate they still seem as we read them.
Of the writers, Herodotus remains my favorite, even though he is likely to have been often the least accurate at times. For instance, he frequently cites reports of lands, animals, and strange varieties of humans about which he is TOLD, but about which he has no first-hand knowledge, and some of these are more than a little fantastic to modern eyes.
However, most of what he writes, as he takes pains to tell us, was based on his careful research, and the man is known to have been widely traveled throughout the Mediterranean world of his time (a few centuries before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth).
In his visit(s) to Egypt, for example, at one point he mentions that in conversations with Egyptian priests he was told that they had records going back several thousand years. If those records still exist somewhere -- modern archaeology gives evidence every day that much is NOT lost "forever" -- we would find accounts that would tell us of some aspects of life in the Egypt of, say, 8,000 or 10,000 B.C. Wouldn't that be fascinating to have?
And Thucydides' account of the long wars between Athens and Sparta, the eventual result of which was the destruction of classical Athens and the ushering in of centuries of the decline of Greek power, a major factor explaining the conquests of Alexander the Great and of his father Philip before him short decades later.
And these works remain important because of the way that Greek thought remains so powerful in shaping many of our thoughts today, including democracy, the power of logic and reason, and the beginnings of natural science (which is what "philosophy" was originally called).
Dip your figurative "toes" in and you might the "water" good!
May 6, 2024
A fascinating compilation and review of the works of the world's first historians. While I have previously read the books of Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch... This was my first exposure to the writings of Xenophon.
This highly readable edition includes key selections from four of the greatest Greek historians: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch. Each of these chroniclers played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of ancient Greece. Here are some highlights:
Herodotus: Often referred to as the "father of history," Herodotus pioneered the art of historical writing. His work goes beyond mere chronicles of past events. In this volume, readers will find excerpts that highlight his interest in religion, leadership, character, and the lessons of war. Herodotus includes speeches, dialogues, dreams, and oracles as part of the "factual" record, prompting readers to consider how these elements contribute to our understanding of history.
Thucydides: Another influential historian who delved into the human condition. He believed that certain aspects of human nature remain constant throughout time. His writings provide valuable insights into leadership, conflict, and the dynamics of power. By examining the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides offers timeless lessons on politics, strategy, and the consequences of war.
Xenophon: These works cover a wide range of topics, including history, philosophy, and military affairs. His "Anabasis" recounts the epic journey of Greek mercenaries through hostile territory. Xenophon's focus on leadership, courage, and survival resonates even today.
Plutarch: These biographies of famous Greeks and Romans reveal not only historical facts but also moral lessons. By examining the lives of great men, he aimed to depict their virtues and flaws. His approach to historical biography provides valuable insights into character and ethics.
In summary, "The Greek Histories" brings together the essential writings of these first chroniclers, offering readers a comprehensive account of ancient Greece. Whether you're a student of history or simply passionate about the past, this volume is an invaluable resource. It sheds light on the rich tapestry of Greek civilization and reminds us that human history is a work in progress—one we can always strive to understand better.
This highly readable edition includes key selections from four of the greatest Greek historians: Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch. Each of these chroniclers played a pivotal role in shaping our understanding of ancient Greece. Here are some highlights:
Herodotus: Often referred to as the "father of history," Herodotus pioneered the art of historical writing. His work goes beyond mere chronicles of past events. In this volume, readers will find excerpts that highlight his interest in religion, leadership, character, and the lessons of war. Herodotus includes speeches, dialogues, dreams, and oracles as part of the "factual" record, prompting readers to consider how these elements contribute to our understanding of history.
Thucydides: Another influential historian who delved into the human condition. He believed that certain aspects of human nature remain constant throughout time. His writings provide valuable insights into leadership, conflict, and the dynamics of power. By examining the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides offers timeless lessons on politics, strategy, and the consequences of war.
Xenophon: These works cover a wide range of topics, including history, philosophy, and military affairs. His "Anabasis" recounts the epic journey of Greek mercenaries through hostile territory. Xenophon's focus on leadership, courage, and survival resonates even today.
Plutarch: These biographies of famous Greeks and Romans reveal not only historical facts but also moral lessons. By examining the lives of great men, he aimed to depict their virtues and flaws. His approach to historical biography provides valuable insights into character and ethics.
In summary, "The Greek Histories" brings together the essential writings of these first chroniclers, offering readers a comprehensive account of ancient Greece. Whether you're a student of history or simply passionate about the past, this volume is an invaluable resource. It sheds light on the rich tapestry of Greek civilization and reminds us that human history is a work in progress—one we can always strive to understand better.
May 7, 2022
Since I have made a couple of comments about the content (which I don't know how goodreads connects these to this book, if at all), spent quite a period of time reading this tome, and had other distracting readings and writings, I will keep these comments brief and connected to some ideas not directly related.
I continue to prefer accounts as close to first hand as possible when I attempt to understand people and ideas of the past. The writing in the final section of this document is far removed from the content, which deals with the period after Alexander the Great but was written by Plutarch nearly 400 years later. Yet, probably due to both literary advances and access to archives, I found Plutarch most interesting and valuable. The biography of Demetrius was the only complete text in the entire book, which probably is a gift of the editors more so than the lack of original texts. All in all, I found the translations and content of significant benefit to my understanding of history and of ancient people. Also, having recently been immersing myself in Chinese history, I find the parallels most thought provoking. The role of women in the eastern world at least gets more press, although the actual treatment of women is similar, although perhaps worse, than in the west. The major difference would appear to be the development of democracy in Athens and other cities of Greece (Hellas), and then its later reintroduction in post renaissance western nations. I have not read of any democratic movement in China until very recently, perhaps a hundred or so years. And while some of the forms and processes are now present there, the dominance of a un-democratic single party likely defeats the will of the people in general as manifest in mostly limited ways. Finally, the rise of the Roman empire and the consolidation of the Chinese nation seem to be closely related in time, and likely in actual though undocumented history by bridging the gap over the silk road.
Sorry, I wasn't so brief as I expected, and have many additional thoughts which I will leave out of this review.
I continue to prefer accounts as close to first hand as possible when I attempt to understand people and ideas of the past. The writing in the final section of this document is far removed from the content, which deals with the period after Alexander the Great but was written by Plutarch nearly 400 years later. Yet, probably due to both literary advances and access to archives, I found Plutarch most interesting and valuable. The biography of Demetrius was the only complete text in the entire book, which probably is a gift of the editors more so than the lack of original texts. All in all, I found the translations and content of significant benefit to my understanding of history and of ancient people. Also, having recently been immersing myself in Chinese history, I find the parallels most thought provoking. The role of women in the eastern world at least gets more press, although the actual treatment of women is similar, although perhaps worse, than in the west. The major difference would appear to be the development of democracy in Athens and other cities of Greece (Hellas), and then its later reintroduction in post renaissance western nations. I have not read of any democratic movement in China until very recently, perhaps a hundred or so years. And while some of the forms and processes are now present there, the dominance of a un-democratic single party likely defeats the will of the people in general as manifest in mostly limited ways. Finally, the rise of the Roman empire and the consolidation of the Chinese nation seem to be closely related in time, and likely in actual though undocumented history by bridging the gap over the silk road.
Sorry, I wasn't so brief as I expected, and have many additional thoughts which I will leave out of this review.
January 28, 2022
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
This book is a collection of translated works by some of Ancient Greece's best (or most well-known) history writers. The field of history as we know it was just getting started at this time (Herodotus, whose work is included here, is often credited with 'creating' history as a field of study), so there is a lot of variety in how writers addressed the topic. The four writers included here are introduced well, with a forward that describes the life, influences, and works of each before getting into the excerpts that have been translated here. The translation was great, and the choices for what were included was done well, especially the juxtaposition between the authors.
This book is a collection of translated works by some of Ancient Greece's best (or most well-known) history writers. The field of history as we know it was just getting started at this time (Herodotus, whose work is included here, is often credited with 'creating' history as a field of study), so there is a lot of variety in how writers addressed the topic. The four writers included here are introduced well, with a forward that describes the life, influences, and works of each before getting into the excerpts that have been translated here. The translation was great, and the choices for what were included was done well, especially the juxtaposition between the authors.
December 14, 2024
This was a great near chronological history of many integral events for Ancient Greece. told through 4 different historians it’s cool to see the writing styles of these different authors as they described events like the Peloponnesian war, Greco Persian war, and the conquests of Alexander the great. It’s amazing book that shows complexity of Greek warfare and politics which I find very interesting. I liked learning from some of history’s first historians very much!!!
February 8, 2022
Classicists Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm provide us with a very readable introduction to the Greek World. Both have decades of experience in academia as well as multiple author credit to their name. Lefkowitz in this work as editor introduces a new generation of readers and thinkers to the world of Greek antiquity.
August 7, 2022
I picked this up out of a sense of obligation, but the selections were really compelling. Herodotus and Thucydides are fascinating writers and I'll probably come back and read their stuff in full (eventually).
Want to read
January 26, 2022Review copy provided by publisher - January 25, 2022
March 20, 2022
A fair compilation on the high points of early recorded Greek history. A great intro for me before
I read the individual accounts of the historians written about here.
I read the individual accounts of the historians written about here.
December 16, 2022
Love the multiple viewpoints and it's a concise and comprehensive overview of the Classical Greek age.
March 23, 2023
Looking at this book from a historiographical perspective, it was a great read. It’s always good to read the OG historians.
August 21, 2025
A whole lot of classical bang for your buck.
Read
January 7, 2026I only read the Herodotus portion for an abridged version of the Histories - I'll be damned if I sift through all that - and what I got is pretty good. I'll come back to it one day for the rest.
January 27, 2023
Thought I would enjoy this, but just not my cup of tea. I do believe it would be good reading for a Greek History class but for casual reading it was not for me.
August 17, 2023
If I had to pick one word to perfectly encapsulate the messiness around rendering Greek into English, via Rome, I might pick the word ‘history,’ a transliteration of the Greek word historia, which, when represented in English characters, is also a word some Roman historians used in Latin, which was also transliterated from the Greek.
See what I mean? It can be a headache, which is why no one is audacious enough even to attempt consistency. Some words are translated. Some words are transliterated. And some words are transliterated and Latinized.
All this, and we still have not come to the meaning of the Greek word itself, which is ‘inquiries.” As in Herodotus referring to his text as ‘an exhibition of the inquiries of Herodotus of Halicarnassus.’ What happened, and what were the effects of these happenings? Herodotus set out to inquire, guided by an abiding curiosity and respect for humanity.
Excerpts from Herodotus are included in a thoughtfully curated collection of texts composed by ancient Greek historians" ‘The Greek Histories: Essential Selections from Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch’ edited and annotated by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm. Stitched together with insightful commentary, this collection creates a captivating story from four ancient historians who wrote in the Greek language at different times and in different social conditions.
My two favorite selections were Thucydides’ description of the Greek expedition’s destruction in Sicily during the Peloponnesian war and Plutarch’s musings on Alexander. That selection of Thucydides has been a favorite since I first read it. Seeing it set in this context added extra insight, showing me how it fits into a larger tapestry across antiquity that these historians each contributed to.
See what I mean? It can be a headache, which is why no one is audacious enough even to attempt consistency. Some words are translated. Some words are transliterated. And some words are transliterated and Latinized.
All this, and we still have not come to the meaning of the Greek word itself, which is ‘inquiries.” As in Herodotus referring to his text as ‘an exhibition of the inquiries of Herodotus of Halicarnassus.’ What happened, and what were the effects of these happenings? Herodotus set out to inquire, guided by an abiding curiosity and respect for humanity.
Excerpts from Herodotus are included in a thoughtfully curated collection of texts composed by ancient Greek historians" ‘The Greek Histories: Essential Selections from Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, and Plutarch’ edited and annotated by Mary Lefkowitz and James Romm. Stitched together with insightful commentary, this collection creates a captivating story from four ancient historians who wrote in the Greek language at different times and in different social conditions.
My two favorite selections were Thucydides’ description of the Greek expedition’s destruction in Sicily during the Peloponnesian war and Plutarch’s musings on Alexander. That selection of Thucydides has been a favorite since I first read it. Seeing it set in this context added extra insight, showing me how it fits into a larger tapestry across antiquity that these historians each contributed to.
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