In Book 2, Herodotus discusses the geography, zoology, customs, and history of ancient Egypt. This excursus on the country’s natural and man-made marvels sets the scene for his account of Egypt’s invasion in 525 BCE by the Persian king Cambyses, Cyrus’ son, in the following Book. The first part of Book 2 focuses on the geography of Egypt and the mysteries of the Nile; the second part is an ethnography of the country, describing the religious practices of its inhabitants and theorizing about the relationship of Egyptian and Greek oracles and gods; and the concluding section is a sketch of Egyptian history, focusing on the builders of the pyramids and other great monuments. Herodotus’ information is drawn from extensive research that included visits he made to interview the priests at the Egyptian sanctuaries of Memphis, Heliopolis, and Thebes.

The immense antiquity and wealth of Egyptian culture fascinated the ancient Greeks. Until the reign of the pharaoh Psammetichus (664-610 BCE), Herodotus claims, the Egyptians believed they were the oldest nation in the world. Hoping to determine the original race of mankind, Psammetichus had two newborns removed from their family and raised in a cottage in the absence of language.