The second book of Herodotus' History (Euterpe) is devoted to the geography, history and culture of Ancient Egypt. It is one of the countries in the Ancient Near East that the "father of history" admires most, primarily because of its extraordinary antiquity and originality.
The mysterious floods of the Nile, the animals never seen elsewhere, the exotic religious and domestic customs of the Egyptians, the thousand-year history, the great pharaohs, the crushing grandeur of the pyramids and other colossal ancient buildings, all these charmed the imagination of the Greek traveller.
What is the cultural-historical context of Herodotus' notes? What are its sources? What in his story is history and what is legend? How does he link Greek and Egyptian cultural traditions? All these and other questions are answered in the present detailed commentary on his book, devoted exclusively to Ancient Egypt.