This original study makes the provocative case that Herodotus, to an even greater degree than Thucydides, illuminates the permanent grounds of democracy’s greatest spiritual strengths and most dangerous imperial temptations. Herodotus is shown to be not merely the proverbial father of history but, what is more, the fertile father of democratic theory, especially in its international dimensions.

This rich and comprehensive analysis beautifully captures the political urgency of Herodotus' insights.

This is a lucid, learned and creative reading of Herodotus' comparative analyses of Egyptian, Scythian, Persian, and Spartan regimes. This book will inspire not only a return to Herodotus' text, but also a reflection on contemporary American debates on 'human imperialism' and pragmatic security.