(stylized as ''HISTORIĒ'') is a Japanese

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki. It has been serialized in

Kodansha is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayoshi'', ''Morning (magazine), Morning'', ''Afternoon (magazine), Afternoon'', ''Evening (magazine), Eveni ...

's manga magazine ''

Monthly Afternoon is a Japanese monthly manga anthology published by Kodansha under the ''Afternoon'' line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of January 25, 1986. ''Afternoon'' has spawned many successful manga series such as '' Oh My G ...

'' since 2003, with its chapters collected in 12 volumes as of June 2024. It follows the story of

Eumenes Eumenes (; ; ) was a Ancient Greece, Greek general, satrap, and Diadoch, Successor of Alexander the Great. He participated in the Wars of Alexander the Great, serving as Alexander's personal secretary and later on as a battlefield commander. Eume ...

, a secretary and general to

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...

. In 2010, ''Historie'' received the Grand Prize at the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival as well as the 16th

Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Named after Osamu Tezuka, the is a yearly manga prize awarded to manga artists or their works that follow the Osamu Tezuka manga approach founded and sponsored by Asahi Shimbun. The prize has been awarded since 1997, in Tokyo, Japan. Current ...

in 2012. It won the 49th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2025.

Plot

Set in the

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece () was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity (), that comprised a loose collection of culturally and linguistically r ...

, in the mid-300s BC, ''Historie'' is a fictional account of the life of

's personal secretary and general. The story follows his troublous life, from childhood to adulthood. Growing up in a wealthy family in the city-state of Cardia, Eumenes is framed for the death of his adoptive father and made a slave. Eventually, he is able to escape and survive. Soon afterwards, he begins a long journey, making a name for himself and gaining recognition in the battlefield due to his knowledge, quick wit and strategic prowess.

Characters

''Historie'' portrays many historical characters who actually existed in ancient Greece and Persia. ;

: Eumenes, an intelligent youth from Cardia, suffers recurring nightmares of a woman killing soldiers. Originally a

Scythian The Scythians ( or ) or Scyths (, but note Scytho- () in composition) and sometimes also referred to as the Pontic Scythians, were an ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic people who had migrated during the 9th to 8th centuries BC fr ...

, he was adopted by Hieronymus after his family died in a Greek slave raid. Following Thrax's escape and subsequent events, Hieronymus is killed and Eumenes' heritage is revealed, resulting in his enslavement. After a failed slave mutiny and shipwreck near

Paphlagonia Paphlagonia (; , modern translit. ''Paflagonía''; ) was an ancient region on the Black Sea coast of north-central Anatolia, situated between Bithynia to the west and Pontus (region), Pontus to the east, and separated from Phrygia (later, Galatia ...

, he washes ashore near Boa village. There, he educates villagers in Greek customs while assimilating into their community. When mercenaries from Tios attack Boa, Eumenes successfully defends it, killing their leader. He later returns to besieged Cardia, where he becomes Philip II's apprentice after demonstrating tactical knowledge. ;Charon : He serves as a slave in the Hieronymus household and acts as Eumenes' personal attendant (pedagogue in the classical sense). Before Eumenes departs Cardia, he gives him an amulet belonging to Eumenes' mother. Later revelations show he was present during Eumenes' mother's death, despite previous denials, and contributed to her demise by holding the young Eumenes hostage. After these events, he relocates to Piraeus where he achieves fame and fortune. ;Hieronymus (the Elder) : Hieronymus initially appears as Eumenes' father but is later revealed to have adopted him after his subordinates slaughtered Eumenes' biological family during a slave raid. Though not directly responsible for the killings, Hieronymus led the expedition. He is presumed killed during Thrax's escape attempt, though another individual ultimately bears responsibility for his death. ; Hieronymus (the Younger) : Hieronymus's son resents Eumenes during their childhood, envying his superior intellect and skills as well as their father's apparent favoritism. When Eumenes is enslaved, revelations suggest Hieronymus privately documented much of Eumenes' life, implying latent paternal concern. ;Tolmides : A childhood companion of Eumenes who serves in Cardia's militia forces during Eumenes' return to the city. ;Satura : A villager from Boa who initially regards Eumenes with cautious interest. Their bond strengthens as Eumenes integrates into the community, becoming romantic after war nullifies her betrothal to Tios's heir. To protect Boa when Tios discovers Eumenes' role in the conflict, he severs their relationship through deception, facilitating her political marriage to Telemakos. ;Perialla : A childhood acquaintance of Eumenes who initially displays romantic interest in him. Following his enslavement, her attitude shifts to hostility. She eventually marries the son of a local wheelmaker. ;Thrax : A Scythian slave who recognizes Eumenes as a fellow countryman. He instigates a violent escape from Cardia, slaughtering numerous militia and civilians. During a marketplace confrontation, he spares Eumenes' life, arousing the citizens' suspicion. Mortally wounded during the uprising, he pursues Eumenes before dying. Authorities later blame him for Hieronymus the Elder's death. ;Theogeiton : A moneylender who owns the enslaved Thrax, notorious for his harsh treatment of those under his control. He and his family perish when Thrax breaks free from his restraints. ; Memnon : A Greek mercenary commander in Persian service leads the pursuit of

Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...

. He first appears in Assos, then under Persian control, interrogating Hermias—Aristotle's father-in-law—to locate the philosopher. ; Hermias : Aristotle's father-in law; a Eunuch. First seen chained up in Assus. Even under intense interrogation, he refuses to say anything about the teacher Aristotle. ;Aristotle : A prominent philosopher pursued by the Persian Empire on espionage charges. Fleeing with his student

Callisthenes Callisthenes of Olynthus ( /kəˈlɪsθəˌniːz/; Greek: Καλλισθένης; 360 – 327 BCE) was a Greek historian in Macedon with connections to both Aristotle and Alexander the Great. He accompanied Alexander the Great during his Asiati ...

and the slave Victas, he encounters Eumenes near the ruins of

Troy Troy (/; ; ) or Ilion (; ) was an ancient city located in present-day Hisarlik, Turkey. It is best known as the setting for the Greek mythology, Greek myth of the Trojan War. The archaeological site is open to the public as a tourist destina ...

while seeking passage across the

Dardanelles The Dardanelles ( ; ; ), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli (after the Gallipoli peninsula) and in classical antiquity as the Hellespont ( ; ), is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey th ...

. Delayed by Eumenes' unfinished boat construction, they spend the night in discussion, during which the philosopher recognizes Eumenes' intellectual aptitude. The group narrowly evades Persian forces the following day, crossing to Europe with Eumenes temporarily remaining behind as they continue toward Cardia. ; Barsine : The wife of Troius's governor demonstrates notable political acumen and intellectual capability. ;

Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...

: The king of Macedonia first appears posing as Antigonus, a merchant from Perinthus seeking Hieronymus the Younger in Cardia. He encounters Eumenes outside the city gates and, impressed by his resourcefulness in gaining entry, impulsively offers him employment. ; Arrhidaeus : Son of Philip II, shown as an intellectually disabled child. Eumenes gave him a toy chariot, replaced when Alexander the Great accidentally destroyed it. ;

: The son of Philip II of Macedon and half-brother of Arrhidaeus exhibits a respectful demeanor and natural leadership qualities. He displays a calm disposition and bears a distinctive snake-shaped scar. The character manifests an alternate personality named Hephaestion, who lacks this scar and demonstrates an aversion to snakes. ;

Olympias Olympias (; c. 375–316 BC) was a Ancient Greeks, Greek princess of the Molossians, the eldest daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the sister of Alexander I of Epirus, the fourth wife of Philip of Macedon, Philip II, the king of Macedonia ...

: The mother of Alexander the Great maintains close associations with male advisors while pursuing undisclosed political objectives related to her son's reign. ;

Eurydice Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice', classical pronunciation: ) was a character in Greek mythology and the wife of Orpheus, whom Orpheus tried to bring back from the dead with his enchanting music. Etymology Several ...

: A relative of Attalus who was romantically involved with Eumedes prior to her betrothal to Philip II of Macedon.

Publication

Written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki, ''Historie'' has been serialized in

's manga magazine ''

'' since 25 January 2003. Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on 22 October 2004. In the October 2022 issue of ''Monthly Afternoon'' (released on 24 August), Iwaki announced that he would take a break to work on the production of the twelfth volume. He also commented: "I must contemplate how to ensure that the entire story undoubtedly reaches a conclusion." The twelfth volume was released on 21 June 2024. In August 2024, Kodansha began publishing the series in English on its K Manga digital service.

Volumes

Reception

''Historie'' was a finalist for the tenth installment of

in 2006, and won the Grand Prize at its 16th installment in 2012. The manga was also awarded the Grand Prize for the Manga Division in the 14th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2010. The manga won the 49th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2025. The ''

Mainichi Shimbun The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by In addition to the ''Mainichi Shimbun'', which is printed twice a day in several local editions, Mainichi also operates an English-language news website called , and publishes a bilin ...

'' newspaper called Iwaaki's vision of Eumenes' past (which, historically, is largely a mystery) "bold and unique". Manga critic and editor Jason Thompson stated that in terms of scale, ambition, and plotting, ''Historie'' is the author's masterpiece.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{Kodansha Manga Award - General Comics set in ancient Greece Cultural depictions of Alexander the Great Cultural depictions of Aristotle Epic anime and manga Historical anime and manga Kodansha manga Seinen manga Winner of Kodansha Manga Award (General) Winners of the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize (Grand Prize)