Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

Egyptian history was discussed by a number of classical historians. Two extensive accounts havesurvived intact (those of Herodotus and Diodorus Siculus) along with the fragmentary remains ofnumerous other texts. Though classical historians are not usually reliable as independent sources forthe history of Egypt before the Saïte Period, they often provide useful information on Egyptian historyin the periods contemporary with classical Greek and Roman civilization, as well as evidence of howearlier phases of Egyptian history were remembered and represented by Greek and Roman authors,and by Egyptians themselves.