The great Athenian
Classical Athens
The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was the major urban center of the notable polis of the same name, located in Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy wa…
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Who was Thucydides and what did he do?
Thucydides lived from 460-400 BCE, making him a contemporary of Socrates in Athens. He was a general in the Peloponnesian War (in which Socrates fought as a soldier), and after the war was over he started writing its history.
What does Thucydides say about the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides and the History of the Peloponnesian War. In his opening lines, Thucydides says he wrote about the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, “beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it.”. At the time, Athens was a great sea power ...
What is the theme of Thucydides’s War?
This theme permeates the book as Thucydides attempts to show that fundamental to war’s nature is the depths that men will go to acquire, hold, and exercise power. [7] This is a cautionary lesson in Athens’ case.
What is Thucydides’s main message in this passage?
Thucydides highlights the tragedy of Athens letting slip the opportunity for a grand peace that could benefit both powers, instead allowing war’s tendency to greater extremes pervade in the absence of the restraint of rational policy.
What was Thucydides's topic?
Unlike his near-contemporary Herodotus (author of the other great ancient Greek history), Thucydides’ topic was his own time. He relied on the testimony of eyewitnesses and his own experiences as a general during the war.
How long was Thucydides exiled?
During 20 years of exile, he worked on his history—collecting information, writing and revising. Estimates for Thucydides’ date of birth (c.460) hinge on his probable age upon entering military service. Since his history makes no mention of events after 411, it is likely Thucydides died before Athens’ final surrender in 404.
What was the Peloponnesian War?
In his opening lines, Thucydides says he wrote about the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, “beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it.” At the time, Athens was a great sea power with a democratic political system and innovative leadership that made it a formidable force. Sparta, located in the Peloponnese (the southern peninsula of mainland Greece ), was most powerful as a land force. Its system of government favored austere militarism and adherence to tradition. It was the Spartans’ fear of Athens, Thucydides argues, that led them to make their first, preemptive attack in 430.
What was Thucydides' greatest speech?
The greatest of these speeches, such as the Athenian leader Pericles ’ oration for his city’s war dead, offer lasting insight into the politics of war and the complexities of human nature.
What is Thucydides's view of Athens?
Nevertheless, he sculpts a cohesive narrative in which Athens’ loss in Sicily is both the logical outcome of poor leadership and an almost-cosmic punishment for a society’s ethical decline.
Where did Thucydides' father live?
Little is known about Thucydides’ life apart from the few biographical references in his masterwork. His father’s name was Olorus, and his family was from Thrace in northeastern Greece, where Thucydides owned gold mines that likely financed his historical work.
Who was the historian of the Peloponnesian War?
One of the greatest ancient historians, Thucydides (c.460 B.C.–c.400 B.C.) chronicled nearly 30 years of war and tension between Athens and Sparta. His “History of the Peloponnesian War” set a standard for scope, concision and accuracy that makes it a defining text of the historical genre. Unlike his near-contemporary Herodotus (author of the other great ancient Greek history), Thucydides ’ topic was his own time. He relied on the testimony of eyewitnesses and his own experiences as a general during the war. Though specific in detail, the questions he addressed were timeless: What makes nations go to war? How can politics elevate or poison a society? What is the measure of a great leader or a great democracy?
Why Did The Peloponnesian War Start?
How Did The Peloponnesian War Start? By Molly M Deen Thesis! The Peloponnesian War started because the Spartans were jealous of the wealth and power the Athens had.
What was the first war in Greece?
This war was between the Athenian empire and the Peloponnesian league. The war was divided into 3 distinct phases, the first phase was the Archidamin war , during this phase Athens ordered attack, after attack after attack on Attica. the second phase was the Sicilian war and the last and final phase was the Ionian (Decelean war). The main reason for the start of this war was because the Spartans were scared that the Athenians were growing in power and that they controlled most of the Mediterranean region form Greece to Hellas. According to Thucydides, this was not the only factor that caused the war.
Why was the Revolutionary War important?
If this event had not taken place, this country would likely not be here, or in the conditions it is in. Freedom, government, and pride are just a few of the many effects of the Revolutionary War. One major reason that the Revolutionary War is important is that the victory of the war meant independence for the colonies.
Who was the historian of the Peloponnesian War?
The ancient historian, Thucydides , a realist and aristocrat by birth, gave the world The History of the Peloponnesian War, but with a questionably biased view of the happenings of the 5th century BC, specifically the causes of the Peloponnesian War and the key personality (s) that played an influential role to the end result, a deep understanding of his writing style and attitude towards history must be learnt to allow for his work to be viewed as a credible source. The writing itself was the most scientifically accurate piece of work at the time but readers are misled by the downplaying and ignoring of events that negatively portray the role Athens had in the war. This deliberate action has been the foundation for countless scholars’ analysis of the reliability of Thucydides as a historian. Even though Thucydides was significantly more advanced and accurate than other historians to date, his pro-Athenian attitude, specifically surrounding the causes of the war, resulted in a History that has proven difficult to view wholly as a credible source. The causes of the Peloponnesian War described by Thucydides as “the truest” are accurate but intentionally ignore the motives behind them that would insinuate that the true aggressor of the Peloponnesian War was in fact Athens. The Peloponnesian War as described by Thucydides primarily started due to the reaction of Sparta in response to the growing power of Athens. It was in the Pentecontaetia that Athens’ power increased
Why were Americans important to the Allies?
Despite doubt by the Europeans concerning American involvement in World War I, Americans proved crucial to the Allies war effort due to their fighting ability which affected battle outcomes. France, Great Britain, and the Allies had been fighting the Axis powers for three years before America joined. Their doubts proved to be unfounded, and the war ended the year after the Americans joined. European doubts were many and varied about American involvement, but most were unfirmly based. For example, they thought that Americans would be in the way because they had false information that America had been infiltrated by the enemy.
Which was more hostile, the Persians or the Assyrians?
When comparing the two military systems, it is easy to see that the Assyrians were a more hostile group than the Persians. “The Assyrian war machine was the most efficient military force in the ancient world up until the fall of the empire in 612 BCE. The secret to its success was a professionally trained
Was the American way of achieving independence a smart idea?
The American’s or colonists’ way of achieving their independence actually in my opinion would not be consider a smart idea in a perfect world but since it is not a perfect world. Their decision was great. Of course, casualties are an issue due to the war or either diseases, but those soldiers and battles made America what it is today. The colonists may have not accomplished their goal in a way they would want to but it accomplished the goals it should and achieved even more goals. Peace treaties were signed between nations and America got its independence.
What war did Thucydides describe?
But regardless, this attractive bipolar comparison stoked fears that the “unavoidable” war Thucydides described in his time would mean World War III for all of us.
What is Thucydides' clarity about power relations and human behavior in times of conflict?
Thucydides’ clarity about power relations and human behavior in times of conflict gives his readers all the tools they need to see larger patterns at work that they may identify with events in their own times. Thucydides himself foresaw the utility of his work.
What is Thucydides' most famous dialogue?
Consider another example. One of the most renowned parts of his history is the Melian dialogue, where Thucydides reports on a conversation that took place between envoys from an invading Athenian force and officials from the small island city-state of Melos, which the Athenians were about to assault.
What does Thucydides want us to see?
First and foremost, Thucydides wants us to see the brutal thinking and overbearing pride of the Athenians in the way they conceived of and sought to expand their empire. Fair-seeming words used on other occasions to justify ethically their imperial expansion are stripped away, revealing the cold calculus beneath.
What did the Melians ask the Envoys to do?
The Melians ask the envoys to be left alone, appealing to reason and justice. They claim a desire to remain neutral in the Spartan-Athenian struggle, contend that the Athenians would outrage gods and men if they attacked them, and warn that the Spartans would intervene on the Melians’ behalf.
Why did Thucydides write "Not entertain for the moment but to be of lasting value"?
He says that he wrote it not to entertain for the moment but to be of lasting value, because people could use it to clearly understand past events and also understand future events given that, people being people, similar sorts of things will happen again.
What was Thucydides' vision of the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides’ compelling vision of the Peloponnesian War, with its meticulously delineated causes, combatants, and alliances, make it easy to find parallels later in history, right up to the present day.
Who was the first historian of the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides: History of the Peloponnesian War. Some consider Thucydides (thoo-SIH-dih-deez) the first historian in the Western tradition. Thucydides lived from 460-400 BCE, making him a contemporary of Socrates in Athens. He was a general in the Peloponnesian War (in which Socrates fought as a soldier), and after the war was over he started writing ...
When did Athens surrender?
Athens surrendered in 404 BCE. As a direct result of the war, the Thirty, a group of Spartan sympathizers, governed Athens from 403-404 BCE. Democracy was reestablished in 404 BCE, and Socrates was tried and put to death about five years later, in 399 BCE.
Why did Thucydides narrate the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides narrated the Peloponnesian War not merely because he happened to live at the time, but because the war was singularly memorable. Why? It was, so to speak, the first universal war, and not only the most memorable Greek war.
Which civilizations did Thucydides know of?
Thucydides knew of other advanced civilizations such as the Egyptians, but he wants to convey a fundamental problem: the human race has two poles, barbarians and Greeks; and the Greeks in turn have two poles, Sparta and Athens. Sparta and Athens were at their height when the war broke out.
Why did the Melians fight the Athenians?
The Melians would rather fight the unjust Athenians than live as slaves under their unjust imperial rule, and express the pious hope that the gods will come to their aid in their fight against the Athenians and reward their justice. Nonetheless, the Melian Dialogue is followed by the slaughter and enslavement of the Melians. The Athenian position on justice and self-interest thus seems to lead to great inhumanity. Yet, the Athenians’ action is not a necessary consequence of their argument in all, or even most, circumstances. In fact, throughout the war, the Athenians, while acting according to their amoral thesis, are more humane than the Spartans. Could it be that the Athenian thesis, rightly understood, might issue in a greater allowance for gentleness?
How did the Athenians respond to the Melians' argument?
The Athenians respond to the Melians’ argument by denying the Melian assumption that there are just gods who reward and punish human beings. Moreover, the Athenians argue that precisely on the basis of the Melians’ own assumptions, such gods do not exist. Rather, all human beings are compelled by a necessity of their nature to want what is good for themselves, and pursue the power that is in their interest, without regard to justice. All are compelled to care more about self interest than justice. The Melians are not morally superior to the Athenians—they are simply weaker. If there are gods as the Melians claim, they too cannot favor one side over the other, because both parties are equally self-interested.
Why is the Peloponnesian War called universal?
Thus, the war, which affects the only two parts of the human race, Greeks and barbarians, may be called “universal” because the human race has two poles: barbarism and Greekness. Thucydides knew of other advanced civilizations such as the Egyptians, but he wants to convey a fundamental problem: the human race has two poles, barbarians and Greeks; and the Greeks in turn have two poles, Sparta and Athens.
Why can't Athens be blamed for its empire?
On the eve of the war’s outbreak, the Athenian envoys at Sparta claim that Athens cannot be blamed for having acquired its empire because they were compelled to do so by “the greatest things,” including “ fear, honor, and interest.” Fear, honor, and interest are irresistible impulses felt by all political communities; the Athenians are thus like all others overcome by the desire for empire; and none who can acquire has yet been dissuaded by argument that it is unjust to do so (I.75–76.2). According to the Athenians, interest compels and excuses no less than fear. So, self-interested behavior is above reproach. But if any self-interested action by a political community is compulsory, and hence cannot be condemned, what remains blameworthy? It is not so much that the Athenian envoys argue that might makes right, as that right has no place in international relations.
What was Thucydides' most famous work?
Thucydides wrote only one work, the remarkable History of the Peloponnesian War. His History is a painstaking description of the events of the war between Athens and Sparta, which he describes as the greatest and most terrible war known to him (I.I, I.23).
How does Thucydides explain the impact of war?
His writing is grounded in the understanding that war’s nature is inextricably linked to human nature, which in turn shapes the strategic and military culture that manifest in war’s character and the political objectives for which it is fought. Through a narrative approach, his work serves as a warning about the moral decline of society over the course of protracted war. In doing so he demonstrates several points relevant for all wars, including today's: War's nature is unchanging and is based on the contest for power. “Fear, honour, and interest” are human characteristics immutable through time and have generally been the cause of wars throughout history. [2] These characteristics shape strategic and military culture and in turn the character of a given war. And the creation of a political objective based on a state's vital interests is imperative in the formulation of a winning strategy.
What is the importance of Thucydides's Peloponnesian War?
The Peloponnesian War shows how strategic perceptions based on the innately human frailties of fear, honour, and interest lead a state to war. Thucydides then warns us that during conflict a state’s collective morality can decline under the strain of prolonged war based on the choices it makes. He helps us understand that creating a winning strategy is all about these choices, which are shaped by a state’s strategic and military culture. Some choices will be right and others will not; but the outcome of these choices will eventually define victor and vanquished. He provides a powerful case study of continuity and change in war; and as with Clausewitz, the lessons he identifies should not be reduced to glib epigrams. Indeed, it is the richness of his narrative that provides the convincing examples for strategists to dissect of how the political objective, as well as strategic and military culture, changes based on war’s influence. Thucydides chronicled an epochal war so as to make the conflict available for examination by future generations in the hope of producing greater understanding of war itself. That contemporary students of war still commend him to us for insights on the nature and character of war proves that he was indeed successful in creating a history that is truly a possession for all time.
What is Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War is a book that all who seek to understand the influence of war must read. It tells the tale of great power conflict between the Greek city states of Athens and Sparta in a war that would last almost 30 years.
What did Thucydides intend to do?
Thucydides intended his work to be “a possession for all time,” and through reading The Peloponnesian Wa r we come to realise the complexities of modern life have not rendered everything experienced by past generations irrelevant to the problems of today. [1] In fact, as he intended, Thucydides provides a sound basis from which to discover how best to approach the complex problems facing contemporary strategists through allowing us to better understand war’s continuities and discontinuities.
What is Thucydides' purpose?
In fact, as he intended, Thucydides provides a sound basis from which to discover how best to approach the complex problems facing contemporary strategists through allowing us to better understand war’s continuities and discontinuities. Thucydides charts the impact of war on the character of the states involved.
Why is it important to understand the changes in culture Thucydides highlights?
It is important to point out, however, that the changes in culture Thucydides highlights are important for us to understand in detail because change may not actually be for the better. Thucydides shows us that by removing the civilised restraints on human behaviour built up so tenuously over time, war can barbarise us; and, like a plague, this can destroy all the good that a civilisation has achieved. So it was for Athens, who adopted an ends justifies the means approach to the conflict. To illustrate this point early in the war, while Athens is in the grips of plague, Thucydides cites Pericles’ attempts to convince Athens that a compromise on values is actually worth the costs to its prestige that will be incurred:
What was the Athenians response to the Melians?
The Athenian response to the Melians actually shows how far their ideals had fallen, rather than the power they believed they had gained. Indeed, “the Athenians were now willing to slaughter the Melians without considering the potential negative consequences to their own future strategic interests,” clearly demonstrating the short-termism that had come to dominate Athenian strategic culture. [23] In fact, the Melians are perhaps designed by Thucydides to prove this very point when they say:
