Outline of Herodotus, The Histories, Books 1, 6.48ff., 7, and 8
compiled by John Porter, University of Saskatchewan

Notice: This material is the copyrighted property of the author and should not be reproduced without the author's permission.

For more on Herodotus, see the course notes on Herodotus on this WWW site.

• Book 1
• Book 6.48ff.
• Book 7
• Book 8

Highlighted sections are of particular importance.

Book One: The Persian Background — Croesus of Lydia, Cyrus of Persia

Sections 1-5: *Introduction

Sections 6-94: Croesus of Lydia (c. 560-546 B.C.)

• 7-25: Early kings of Lydia
  • 7-14: *Gyges and Candaules

• 26-28: Expansion of the Lydian empire under Croesus

• 29-33: *Croesus and Solon

• 34-45: *Atys and Adrastus

• 46-55: *Croesus' ambitions turn toward Persia: testing and consultation of oracles; Croesus and Delphi

• 56-70: Croesus' overtures to the Greek states: history of Greece; situation at Athens and Sparta
  • 59-64: *Pisistratus of Athens

  • 65-68: Recent expansion of Spartan power

• 71-92: *Croesus' disastrous expedition against Persia: the fall of Sardis
  • 86-91: Croesus on the pyre: his reproach of the Delphic oracle

• 93-94: Lydian geography and customs

Sections 95-end: Cyrus and the Persians (559-529 B.C.)

• 95-106: Early history of Persia

• 107-130: *Birth and rise of Cyrus

• 131-140: Persian customs

• 141-176: Persian subjugation of the Greeks in Asia Minor

• 177-200: Cyrus' attack on Babylon
  • 179-183: Description of Babylon

  • 192-200: Babylonian customs

• 201-end: Cyrus' expedition against the Massagetae; death of Cyrus

Book Six: Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.)

Section 48: Following an unsuccessful revolt against the Persians by the Greek city-states of Asia Minor, Darius (king of Persia, 521-486 B.C.) decides to seek vengeance on those mainland states that had abetted the revolt, particularly Athens: he demands earth and water from each as a token of submission.

Sections 49-93: Aegina accedes; conflict between Athens and Aegina; Sparta called upon to settle the dispute

• 51-72: Struggle between the two kings of Sparta, Cleomenes and Demaratus
  • 52-60: Constitution of Sparta: its dual kingship

• 74-84: Unhappy end of Cleomenes

• 85-93: Conflict between Athens and Aegina

Sections 94-101: Forces of Darius under Datis and Artaphernes cross the Aegean, wreaking havoc as they go; conquer Eretria on west coast of Euboea

Sections 102-117: *Battle of Marathon

Sections 118-end: Aftermath

• 121-131: The Alcmaeonid family

• 132-end: Further exploits of Miltiades; his death

Book Seven: Xerxes' expedition — Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

Sections 1-4: Darius furious at his defeat at Marathon; vows vengeance on the Greeks and on Egypt, which is in a state of revolt; dies before his plans can be carried out; ascension of Xerxes (486-465 B.C.), who is urged to war against the Greeks by various unscrupulous individuals who seek to further their own ends

Sections 8-19: *Council of war; Xerxes vacillates but is compelled by a vision to attack Greece

Sections 20-104: Xerxes' preparations for war

• 22-24: Mt. Athos

• 33-36: *Bridging of Hellespont

• 38-39: Pythius' son

• 46-52: Xerxes and Artabanus

• 59-100: Review of troops

• 101-104: *Xerxes and Demaratus

Sections 105-137: Advance of Persians through Thrace and northern Greece, with ethnographies of the regions traversed; more Greek cities submit

Sections 138-144: *Crucial role of Athens and her fleet; origin of Athenian naval power — Themistocles

Sections 145-174: Greek counter-measures and alliances

• 153-167: Sicilian affairs

Sections 175-177: The Greeks decide to make a stand at Thermopylae by land and at Artemisium point by sea

Sections 178-195: Maneuvers at sea

Sections 196-234: *Battle of Thermopylae

Sections 235-end: Xerxes' council of war; Demaratus

Book Eight: Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.)

Sections 1-48: Further advance of Persian forces by land and sea

Sections 49-99: *Battle of Salamis

• 56ff.: *Pivotal role of Themistocles

Sections 100-107: Xerxes decides to return to Persia with fleet and part of land forces; Mardonius left to pursue battle on land

Sections 108-110: Further machinations of Themistocles

Sections 111-135: Greek fleet follows up victory in western Aegean; Xerxes' retreat; Persian maneuvers in the Chalcidice, etc.

Sections 136-end: Mardonius attempts to entice Athens over to the Persian cause

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