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Why did Herodotus include the history of the Persian Empire in his account of the Greco-Persian Wars?

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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.

Herodotus included the history and description of the Persian Empire in his History primarily to explain the nature of the force that invaded Greece.1

Deeply impressed by the empire's immense size and the polyglot composition of its army, Herodotus sought to contrast this vast, autocratic power with the Greek forces. While the Persian military was united under a single command, the Greeks were characterized by political divisions and disputatious commanders, despite sharing a common language, religion, and purpose.1

By detailing the empire's geography, social structure, and history—including the conquests of Cyrus the Great, Cambyses II, and Darius I—Herodotus provided his readers with the necessary context to understand the magnitude of the Greco-Persian Wars and the significance of the Greek victories.1