The word "history" derives from the Greek word for "inquiry." Combining his encyclopedic interests and curiosity about the customs and workings of humankind, the "Father of History" gives us an unforgettable account of the great clash between Greece and the Persian Empire. In his matchless study of persons, places, and events, Herodotus recounts the rise of Lydia, and the ascendency of the kingdom of Persia under kings Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, and Xerxes; the exotic customs of Egypt; and the stirring events at Thermopylae and Salamis.