Thucydides
Peloponnesian War narrator
Thucydides was an Athenian historian of the fifth century BCE, author of the *History of the Peloponnesian War*, an account of the conflict between Athens and Sparta.
His work is considered foundational to Western historical writing for its emphasis on evidence, skepticism of divine explanations, and analysis of political power.
The Thucydides trap describes the danger of war when a rising power threatens an established one.
Fifth-century BCE Greek conflict
- narrativeAccount of events
- realismAccepting things as they are
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- causationProduction of effects
methodology · empiricism · eyewitness · evidence · analysis · chronicle · prose · secular
Ancient Greek warrior state
- AthensGreece's capital city
- CorinthAncient Greek maritime city
- SicilyMediterranean's biggest island
- SyracuseCity in two eras
Lysander · helots · stasis · civil war · siege · naval battle · truce · alliance
Greece's capital city
- PericlesFifth-century Athenian statesman
- democracyRule by the people
- triremeThree-banked ancient warship
- hopliteAncient Greek heavy infantry
Acropolis · Agora · ostracism · oligarchy · tyranny · Demosthenes · Piraeus · tribute
Ancient Greek historiographer
- XenophonGreek soldier-historian
- PolybiusHellenistic military historian
- MachiavelliPolitical realism's founding theorist
- HobbesEnglish political philosopher
political science · international relations · translation · scholarship · commentary · Crawley
Original text before publication
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- lacunaAbsent piece in sequence
- unfinishedNot yet complete
ancient Greek · quotation · fragment · transmission · codex · critical edition · philology
Peloponnesian War
Fifth-century BCE Greek conflict
- narrativeAccount of events
- realismAccepting things as they are
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
causation · methodology · empiricism · eyewitness · evidence · analysis · chronicle · prose · secular · realpolitik
Sparta
Ancient Greek warrior state
Syracuse · Lysander · helots · stasis · civil war · siege · naval battle · truce · alliance
Athens
Greece's capital city
- PericlesFifth-century Athenian statesman
- democracyRule by the people
- triremeThree-banked ancient warship
hoplite · Acropolis · Agora · ostracism · oligarchy · tyranny · Demosthenes · Piraeus · tribute · assembly
Herodotus
Ancient Greek historiographer
- XenophonGreek soldier-historian
- PolybiusHellenistic military historian
- MachiavelliPolitical realism's founding theorist
Hobbes · political science · international relations · translation · scholarship · commentary · Crawley
manuscript
Original text before publication
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- lacunaAbsent piece in sequence
unfinished · ancient Greek · quotation · fragment · transmission · codex · critical edition · philology
Thucydidesmythographer
Compiler of legends
Herodotus · Homer · fabulist · hagiographer · oral tradition
ThucydidesHerodotus
Ancient Greek historiographer
raconteur · anecdotalist · travel writer · encyclopedist · entertainer