With contributions from leading scholars, this is a unique cross-cultural comparison of historical epics across a wide range of cultures and time periods, which presents crucial insights into how history is treated in narrative poetry. The first book to gain new insights into the topic of ‘epic and history’ through in-depth cross-cultural comparisonsCovers epic traditions across the globe and across a wide range of time periodsBrings together leading specialists in the field, and is edited by two internationally regarded scholarsAn important reference for scholars and students interested in history and literature across a broad range of disciplines