This study investigates the historical and cultural origins of the concept of literary fiction within the context of Ancient Greece. Margalit Finkelberg, a scholar of classical literature, examines the transition from the archaic 'poetics of truth'—where poetry was viewed as divinely inspired—to the 'poetics of fiction' that emerged during the classical period. By analyzing the evolution of aesthetic thought, the author argues that this shift represents a fundamental revolution that established the modern distinction between fictional and non-fictional discourse.

Scholars and classicists frequently cite this work as a rigorous exploration of the intellectual foundations of Western literary theory. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a foundational understanding of how ancient aesthetic shifts continue to influence modern literary practice.