sourced story
c. 440 BCEReputable sourceWell documented

Herodotus, the Father of History

On the timeline · around c. 440 BCE · Herodotus, the Father of History550 BCE500 BCE450 BCE400 BCE350 BCE

What happened

The Greek writer Herodotus composed his Histories, a sweeping account of the Greco-Persian Wars interwoven with observations from his travels. He was the first known writer to systematically gather, test, and narrate his sources.

Why it matters

Cicero called Herodotus the 'Father of History'; his method of inquiry founded the discipline of history as we know it.

Sources