The Complete Writings of Thucydides, the Peloponnesian War (Modern Library, 58.2)

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B000JV8MT6
• Release Date: January 1934
• Publisher: The Modern Library
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Quite fascinating, but it needed time to trudge through.

I once was in the U.S. Army. As part of our job, we were always encouraged to study history to see how people thought and how wars were executed. No war is ever the same, so what we are reading to learn is the why. There are also how people responded to different tactics and strategies. I found this easy to read as the translation made it appear like we were reading today’s news. Not just the actions but the politics of the time. There are great descriptions of the time and place. The only thing that is missing is visual maps to put the places in perspective. Luckily, you can get maps of the time off the net as a supplement. There is enough detail that it may require a second reading after you have digested the first. I am also looking for some good books to tell me what I would have noticed in this book. Thucydides of Athens was born about 471 or 465 BC. 423, he failed to save Amphipolis from the enemy. He returned to Athens after defeat in 404. The narrative stops abruptly in 411 BC. His work was left unfinished and unrevised. He died before Xenophon’s Hellenica picks up the story. When you buy by the volume, be sure they are the same set. Sometimes divided into volumes. Sometimes divided into books. Be aware that translation is also very important, and you may want to read some different translations and/or editors to get a better picture of the war.