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Which events are covered in the final four books of Herodotus’s History?

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Herodotus Herodotus, detail of a Roman herm probably copied from a Greek original of the first half of the 4th century bce; in the National Archaeological Museum, Naples.

The final four books of Herodotus’s History (Books VI–IX) focus on the history of the Greco-Persian Wars.1

While the first half of the work details the growth and organization of the Persian Empire, these later books provide a systematic narrative of the conflict between Greece and Persia from 499 BCE onward. Key events covered in this section include:12

The Ionian Revolt and the Battle of Marathon: Book VI details the revolt of the Greek cities of Ionia against Persian rule and the subsequent Battle of Marathon.1
Xerxes’ Invasion: Book VII provides a detailed account of the Persian king Xerxes’s massive invasion of Greece, including the march of his army from Sardis to the Hellespont.1
Greek Victories: The narrative culminates in the great Greek victories at Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale, which took place in 480–479 BCE.1