The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC)

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the the work of Thucydides in writing the history of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), a struggle between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies. The paper looks at the various stages of the war and their results. The paper also examines the type of society in Sparta and Athens and their different cultures.

From the Paper:

"Thucydides lived c.460 c.400 BC and was an Athenian. He is considered by many to be the greatest of the ancient Greek historians, and his work had a profound influence on the development of historical writing. Although he was a relative of the great soldier and statesman Cimon, Thucydides was also an admirer of Cimon's political opponent, Pericles. He served as a general in 424 but was banished from Athens in that same year for his failure to protect Amphipolis from the Spartans. He returned from exile after the war ended in 404. Thucydides began writing his History of the Peloponnesian War in 431 when the great war broke out. In some ways, he was as much a journalist as a historian."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Finley, Moses. "Introduction." In Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War. New York: Penguin, 1972.
• Sealey, Raphael. A History of the Greek City States 700-338 B.C. Berkeley: University of California, 1976.
• Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. New York: Penguin, 1972.
• Woodruff, Paul. Thucydides: On Justice, Power, and Human Nature. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett, 1993.

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• Essay # 64992 : "The Peloponnesian War"
• Book Review # 118050 : "The History of the Peloponnesian War"
• Analytical Essay # 89665 : "Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War"

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