Herodotus of Halicarnassus

This 2nd-c. Roman portrait represents Herodotus of Halicarnassus (484–425 BC), the Greek historian whose Histories examined the Persian Wars and the cultures of the wider Mediterranean world. The thoughtful expression and aged features reflect his later reputation as a careful observer of human affairs, the father of history. Such portraits circulated among educated elites, affirming the value Rome placed on Greek learning.