The Histories (Greek: στοραι; Ancient Greek: [historíai]; also known as The Histories[1]) of Herodotus is considered the founding work of history in Western literature.[2] Written in 440 BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek, The Histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known in Western Asia, Northern Africa and Greece at that time.[citation needed] Although not a fully impartial record, it remains one of the West's most important sources regarding these affairs. Moreover, it established the genre and study of history in the Western world.