I have an interest in Greco-Roman philosophy, and before I started reading primary sources I wanted to know more about who the Greeks and Romans were: their lives, their culture, the views on themselves and the world around them, and the major events that happened around them (ie, the Peloponnesian war).

I've been thinking that for atleast some of that primary sources (ie, The Histories by Herodotus) are probably my best bet. But, that raises two questions:

1. How right am I that primary sources are probably one of the best sources for major events in Greco-Roman life and the world views of these people?
2. Is there some kind of consensus on the historical accuracy of these texts?

And I guess there's a third, implicit question: if not primary sources, where should I look?