How did Herodotus gather information for his writings?

Answered in Herodotus's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

I traveled widely, from Egypt to Scythia, and spoke with many peoples. My method involved listening to the stories told by those who had witnessed events firsthand, or who had heard them from reliable sources. I collected these accounts, recognizing that different people might tell the same story differently. I presented these varied perspectives, allowing the reader to consider the evidence.

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