The Persian Expedition is an enthralling eyewitness account by Xenophon, a young Athenian noble who sought his destiny abroad. It narrates the attempt by a Greek mercenary army – the Ten Thousand – to help Prince Cyrus overthrow his brother and seize the Persian throne.

When the Greeks were betrayed by their Persian employers, they were forced to march home through hundreds of miles of difficult terrain – adrift in a hostile country and under constant attack from the unforgiving Persians and warlike tribes.

In this outstanding description of endurance and individual bravery, Xenophon, one of those chosen to lead the retreating army, provides a vivid narrative of the campaign and its aftermath. His account remains one of the best pictures we have of Greeks confronting a 'barbarian' world.