The History Of The Peloponnesian War

by Thucydides

Overview

The Peloponnesian War, fought between the Peloponnesian League (headed by Sparta) and the Delian League (431-404 BC), is chronicled in The History of the Peloponnesian War (led by Athens). It was written by the Athens-born historian Thucydides, who served as a general in the battle for his nation. One of the first academic histories, and largely regarded as a classic, is his account of the battle. Eight books make up the history discipline. History analysis typically falls into one of two categories. On the one hand, the work is viewed as impartial and scientific by some academics, including J. B. Bury. Bury's assessment of history is consistent with the conventional idea that it should be "severe in its detachment, written from a strictly intellectual point of view, unfettered with cliches and moral judgments, frigid and critical." On the other hand, History can be understood as a work of literature rather than an impartial account of historical events, in line with more modern readings that are related to reader-response criticism. W. R. Connor's description of Thucydides as "an artist who responds to, selects and expertly arranges his material, and develops its symbolic and emotional potential" embodies this point of view.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789357275484
Publisher:	Double 9 Booksllp
Publication date:	12/01/2022
Pages:	444
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.99(d)

About the Author

Thucydides (c. 460 b.c.-400 b.c.) was a general who was exiled for his failure to defend the Greek city of Amphipolis in Thrace. During his exile, he began compiling histories and accounts of the war from various participants.

Rex Warner (1905-1986) was a classical scholar of Wadham College, Oxford, and served as university professor of the University of Connecticut.

M. I. Finley was a professor of ancient history and master of Darwin College, Cambridge. He died in 1986.

Table of Contents

Book I
I.	The State of Greece from the earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War	1
II.	Causes of the War--The Affair of Epidamnus--The Affair of Potidaea	11
III.	Congress of the Peloponnesian Confederacy at Lacedaemon	28
IV.	From the end of the Persian to the beginning of the Peloponnesian War--The Progress from Supremacy to Empire	39
V.	Second Congress at Lacedaemon--Preparations for War and Diplomatic Skirmishes--Cylon--Pausanias--Themistocles	50
Book II
VI.	Beginning of the Peloponnesian War--First Invasion of Attica--Funeral Oration of Pericles	67
VII.	Second Year of the War--The Plague of Athens--Position and Policy of Pericles--Fall of Potidaea	87
VIII.	Third Year of the War--Investment of Plataea--Naval Victories of Phormio--Thracian Irruption into Macedonia under Sitalces	99
Book III
IX.	Fourth and Fifth Years of the War--Revolt of Mitylene	119
X.	Fifth Year of the War--Trial and Execution of the Plataeans--Corcyraean Revolution	140
XI.	Sixth Year of the War--Campaigns of Demosthenes in Western Greece--Ruin of Ambracia	155
Book IV
XII.	Seventh Year of the War--Occupation of Pylos--Surrender of the Spartan Army in Sphacteria	169
XIII.	Seventh and Eighth Years of the War--End of Corcyraean Revolution--Peace of Gela--Capture of Nisaea	187
XIV.	Eighth and Ninth Years of the War--Invasion of Boeotia--Fall of Amphipolis--Brilliant Successes of Brasidas	200
Book V
XV.	Tenth Year of the War--Death of Cleon and Brasidas--Peace of Nicias	229
XVI.	Feeling against Sparta in Peloponnese--League of the Mantineans, Eleans, Argives, and Athenians--Battle of Mantinea and Breaking up of the League	240
XVII.	Sixteenth Year of the War--The Melian Conference--Fate of Melos	267
Book VI
XVIII.	Seventeenth Year of the War--The Sicilian Campaign--Affair of the Hermae--Departure of the Expedition	275
XIX.	Seventeenth Year of the War--Parties at Syracuse--Story of Harmodius and Aristogiton--Disgrace of Alcibiades	290
XX.	Seventeenth and Eighteenth Years of the War--Inaction of the Athenian Army--Alcibiades at Sparta--Investment of Syracuse	303
Book VII
XXI.	Eighteenth and Nineteenth Years of the War--Arrival of Gylippus at Syracuse--Fortification of Decelea--Successes of the Syracusans	325
XXII.	Nineteenth Year of the War--Arrival of Demosthenes--Defeat of the Athenians at Epipolae--Folly and Obstinacy of Nicias	344
XXIII.	Nineteenth Year of the War--Battles in the Great Harbour--Retreat and Annihilation of the Athenian Army	349
Book VIII
XXIV.	Nineteenth and Twentieth Years of the War--Revolt of Ionia--Intervention of Persia--The War in Ionia	369
XXV.	Twentieth and Twenty-first Years of the War--Intrigues of Alcibiades--Withdrawal of the Persian Subsidies--Oligarchical Coup d'Etat at Athens--Patriotism of the Army at Samos	387
XXVI.	Twenty-first Year of the War--Recall of Alcibiades to Samos--Revolt of Euboea and Downfall of the Four Hundred--Battle of Cynossema	403
	Maps	419