Herodotus broke with the tradition of mythological reporting to systematically collect and critically examine historical records. His masterwork, The Histories, chronicles the origins of the Greco-Persian Wars and provides a vast geographic and ethnographic survey of the ancient world. While he included many anecdotes and legends, his emphasis on inquiry (historia) and the cause-and-effect of human events founded the discipline of history. His writing style is noted for its charm, curiosity, and respect for the customs of various cultures, from the Egyptians to the Scythians.