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

Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny

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 easy-to-follow 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 listener 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 listeners 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 listeners of history alike.

*Includes downloadable PDF of the glossary and maps from the book

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 James Romm, Mary Lefkowitz (introductions) (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Greek prose history, arising from and evolving around questions of truth and fact, made a major contribution to efforts to see the world more objectively. This astute selection of texts, intelligently and accessibly interconnected and in highly readable translations, is 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 tried and tested team of Lefkowitz and Romm have done it again. After their The Greek Plays comes this equally judicious selection, sparely but serviceably commented, from three of the major ancient Greek historians and the doyen of ancient historical biography. Translated by diverse hands and covering the three centuries from the sixth to the third BC, the readings informatively and entertainingly embrace some of the most momentous events of the ancient Hellenic world, from Cyrus of Persia to Alexander of Macedon, Greece—and Persia.”—Paul Cartledge, author of Democracy: A Life

An excellent collection of highlights

It is important to read original sources, and this collection gives well chosen selections. The comments are few but useful.

Great material....

But terrible pronunciation! Also, no one proofed the spelling of the chapters. A well-edited volume, but not really worth the listen. Read the book.