Thucydides: History of the Peloponnesian War [IBR2026]

Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, believing that it would be a great war, much more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it. This belief was not without its grounds. The preparations of both the combatants were in every department in the last state of perfection; And he could see the rest of the Hellenic race taking sides in the quarrel: those who delayed doing so at once having it in contemplation. Indeed this was the greatest movement yet known in history, not only of the Hellenes, but of a large part of the barbarian world – I had almost said of mankind. I.1 Until about a year ago, I couldn’t really keep straight the Persian War, the Peloponnesian War, and the Punic Wars when they showed up on Jeopardy. I’ve got 2/3 of them straight now – at least, to some degree, though the details of some of the battles are still pretty murky. I just don’t seem to understand war.…