[Sailor Steve]

Herodotus - The Histories. A new 2013 translation by Tom Holland. Widely regarded as the first actual history book, using and citing sources. Also acknowledged as being suspect in much of its factuality, the author himself said he only wrote down what he was told, so even he admitted it might not all be true.

Written over a twenty-year-or-more period, the final chapters are believed to have been published around 430 B.C. The Histories are the primary source on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.), including the story of the 300 Spartans.

I've only read bits and pieces of previous translations, which can be somewhat tedious. So far I've read the introduction and preface, and this version looks like it might be entertaining.