The Histories (also known as The History) of Herodotus is considered the founding work of history in Western literature. Written from the 450s to the 420s BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek, they serve as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known around the Mediterranean and Western Asia at that time. It remains one of the West's most important sources.

Herodotus' account of Egyptian history and customs, contained in Book II of his long narrative history of the Persian Wars, is a classic example of 'the father of history' at work. History (historie, inquiry) in its broadest context here includes anthropology, natural history and virtually any piece of 'antiquarian' information that appealed to him.

No single-volume edition of the text has been available since that of Waddell, who brings to the book rare but thorough acquaintance with both Greek historiography and Egyptology. The edition includes text, commentary, vocabulary, an appendix on Ionic dialect and index of proper names.