Thucydides

Amphipolis Cousinery

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Thucydides Mosaic from Jerash, Jordan, Roman, 3rd century CE at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin

Pericles Pio-Clementino Inv269 n3

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Thucydides Manuscript

Discurso funebre pericles

Thucydides-bust-cutout ROM

Thucydides (c. 460 – c. 395 BC) was an ancient Greek historian and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th-century BC war between Sparta and Athens. This work is a key source for understanding the ancient Greek world and its political, social, and military history. Thucydides is considered one of the greatest historians of antiquity, and his methodological rigor and critical approach to sources have had a lasting impact on the field of history.

Life

Little is known about the life of Thucydides. He was born in Alimos, near Athens, into a wealthy family. His father's name was Olorus, a name that suggests Thracian heritage, possibly connected to the Thracian king of the same name. Thucydides caught the plague during the Peloponnesian War but survived. This personal experience of the war and its effects on Athens and its allies deeply influenced his historical writing.

Work

Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War is divided into eight books and covers the period from 431 to 404 BC, although it remains unfinished. Unlike his predecessor Herodotus, who included many anecdotes and digressions, Thucydides focused strictly on the events of the war, striving for accuracy and impartiality. He examined the causes of the war and the conflict itself, emphasizing the interplay of power, justice, and human nature.

Thucydides is renowned for his critical approach to history. He relied on eyewitness accounts and his own experiences, and he assessed the reliability of his sources with a critical eye. His work is characterized by a rigorous analysis of the motives and actions of various actors in the war, and he sought to understand the underlying causes of events rather than merely describe them.

Methodology

Thucydides' methodology set him apart from other historians of his time. He was one of the first historians to apply a strict standard of evidence-gathering and analysis of cause and effect, without recourse to divine intervention. His emphasis on rationality and skepticism towards traditional explanations marked a significant departure from the mythological and anecdotal approach of earlier Greek historians.

Legacy

Thucydides' influence extends far beyond the field of history. His work has been studied for its insights into politics, strategy, and human nature. In the realm of political theory, his analysis of the balance of power and the nature of human ambition has been influential. Military strategists have studied his accounts of battles and sieges for lessons in strategy and tactics.

See Also

• History of the Peloponnesian War
• Herodotus
• Ancient Greek Historiography
• Peloponnesian War