Thomas Herbert was a historian and courtier to Charles I. In 1626 he attended the diplomatic mission headed by Sir Dodmore Cotton to Persia (now Iran). This mission failed following Cotton's death and Herbert and others travelled throughout Persia, the Middle East and Africa, eventually returning to England in 1630.

In 1634, Herbert published his account of the journey under the title A Description of the Persian monarchy. This was followed by an expanded second edition in 1638. The second edition, renamed Some Years Travels into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique, was a success and was quickly translated into Dutch and French.

While in Persia, Herbert took notice of cuneiform inscriptions at the Naqsh-e-Rustam necropolis north of Persepolis. These wedge-shaped inscriptions, although they would not be deciphered until the nineteenth century, were correctly identified by Herbert as representing words rather than individual letters.

Herbert's accounts are, on the whole, based on his own travels, but, as further editions were published he came to insert fanciful or inaccurate material which was often gained through hearsay.