Thucydides

The rivalry between two of the dominant city states of Ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta, erupted into a war lasting nearly 30 years and was to have a dramatic effect on the balance of power in the area....

Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature....

Following the annual tradition, Pericles delivers his speech at the public funeral for the victims of war. Even though designed to glorify and commemorate the dead, Pericles soon turns his oration into an ode to Athens celebrating the many achievements of this proud city....

The Peloponnesian War broke out in 431 B.C. and continued intermittently for 27 years....

Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War is one of the most famous, influential, and moving works of genuine history in our traditions....

How to Think about War remains a foundational work for the study not only of ancient history, but also contemporary politics and international relations....