Herodotus, The Histories, Book 1 (A. D. Godley English translation, Perseus edition TEI XML)

Claims Supported by This Source

1. Solon named Tellus of Athens to Croesus as the happiest of men, and counted a man's seventy years as 26,250 days (1.30–32).
2. Croesus, thinking Solon a fool, sent him away (1.33).
3. The oracle replied, "If you march against the Persians, you will destroy a great empire." There is no mention of crossing a river (1.53).
4. The Battle of Pteria was indecisive; Croesus disbanded his mercenaries, planning to gather allied forces in 5 months, and Cyrus attacked immediately (1.76–79).
5. Cyrus placed camels in front of his cavalry (1.80).
6. After a 14-day siege, Hyroeades the Mardian climbed the cliff by the path of a soldier who had descended to retrieve a helmet. There is no description of a gate (1.84).
7. On the pyre, he called Solon's name three times; Cyrus ordered the fire to be extinguished, but it would not go out, and the Lydians say that rain extinguished it (1.86–87).
8. As far as is known, the Lydians were the first to strike and use gold and silver coins, and the first to practice retail trade (1.94).

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