Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus in the Persian Empire. He is known for having written the book The Histories, a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. He is widely considered to have been the first writer to treat historical subjects using a method of systematic investigation. For this reason, he is often referred to as 'The Father of History,' a title first conferred on him by the first-century BC Roman orator Cicero.