Charon of Lampsacus (Χάρων ὁ Λαμψακηνός) was an early Greek logographer from the city of Lampsacus on the Hellespont, active in the first half of the 5th century BCE [1]. A contemporary of Hecataeus of Miletus, he is counted among the earliest prose historians preceding Herodotus [2].

His works survive only in fragments. These include a history of Persia (Persica), a history of Greece (Hellenica), a chronicle of his native city (Annals of Lampsacus), and treatises On the Oracles and Foundations of Cities [1][2]. A Life of Homer is doubtfully attributed to him [2].

Charon represents a key transitional figure in Greek historiography, moving from local chronicles toward broader historical inquiry. His studies of Persian and Greek affairs, written in the Ionian tradition, were consulted by later historians like Herodotus and Plutarch, confirming the variety of historical writing that existed before the major surviving works [1][2][3].

Sources 1. Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charon-of-Lampsacus 2. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Classics: https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1567 3. World History Encyclopedia: https://www.worldhistory.org/Greek_Historiography/