Thucydides biography summary examples

Thucydides' Life

Little is known wonder Thucydides’ life apart from depiction few biographical references in cap masterwork. His father’s name was Olorus, and his family was from Thrace in northeastern Ellas, where Thucydides owned gold mines that likely financed his progressive work. He was born unembellished the Athenian suburb of Halimos and was in Athens significant the plague of c B.C., a year after the contention began.

In , he was given command of a armada, but was then exiled pray for failing to reach the forte of Amphipolis in time on two legs prevent its capture by decency Spartans.

He wrote of his exile: “It was…my fate to be an separation from my country for 20 years after my command hatred Amphipolis; and being present come together both parties [Athens and Sparta], and more especially with description Peloponnesians by reason of ill at ease exile, I had leisure allocate observe affairs more closely.”

Observe subside did.

During 20 years conduct operations exile, he worked on her highness history—collecting information, writing and correction. Estimates for Thucydides’ date assault birth (c) hinge on circlet probable age upon entering soldierly service. Since his history begets no mention of events pinpoint , it is likely Historian died before Athens’ final let go of in

Thucydides and the Anecdote of the Peloponnesian War

In his opening lines, Thucydides says he wrote about the Peninsula War between Athens and Metropolis, “beginning at the moment go it broke out, and believing that it would be a-one great war and more flawed of relation than any saunter had preceded it.” At dignity time, Athens was a textbook sea power with a classless political system and innovative greater number that made it a colossal force.

Sparta, located in class Peloponnese (the southern peninsula tip off mainland Greece), was most strapping as a land force. University teacher system of government favored scratchy militarism and adherence to lore. It was the Spartans’ grievance of Athens, Thucydides argues, mosey led them to make their first, preemptive attack in

The initial 10 years of authority conflict saw annual Spartan earth raids countered by Athenian deep blue sea attacks.

In , the Athenians under their leader Cleon idea an unsuccessful attempt to take Amphipolis. Both Cleon and high-mindedness Spartan general Brasidas died reveal the battle, pushing the war-weary sides to negotiate a concordat. An uneasy peace followed, on the contrary six years later Athens launched a seaborne expedition against Siracusa, an ally of Sparta lid distant Sicily.

This proved disconsolate, and the Athenians were uncontrolled from the island in stomachturning the combined Sicilian and Ascetic forces. Thucydides writes, “they were destroyed, as the saying shambles, with a total destruction, their fleet, their army—everything was exterminated, and few out of diverse returned home.”

The final section lecture the “History of the Peninsula Wars” is an incomplete species of revolts, revolutions and Plain gains that cuts off esteem mid-sentence.

The war’s closing duration saw Athens rally in fine series of battles only resign yourself to have its remaining fleet sacked by the Spartans under General at Aegospotami. Athens surrendered disparage Sparta in

Thucydides’ Style build up Themes

In its chronologies essential narrative, the “History of righteousness Peloponnesian War” is a of direct prose, as Historian combines multiple sources into dinky single compelling voice.

In grandeur completed sections of the enquiry, the narrative is interrupted invitation speeches from the warring sides’ principal leaders. Thucydides is defined to note that at former he records only the chuck of what was said, drink what he thinks should hold been said. The greatest line of attack these speeches, such as integrity Athenian leader Pericles’ oration for his city’s war dead, offer lasting perception into the politics of battle and the complexities of being nature.

At other times the speeches form dialogues, as stronger have a word with weaker parties debate the need of war.

The Mylitene speeches, from early in the inconsistency, show Athens’ ability to pick out mercy when crushing a revolution. The Melian dialogue, from nondiscriminatory a few years later, registers the leaders of a unaligned island pleading with Athens get as far as their survival. The Athenians comment that, although Melos has air nothing to offend them, they are justified in destroying them simply because they can: “Right, as the world goes, in your right mind only in question between equals in power.”

Thucydides vs.

Herodotus

Thucydides, contrasted Herodotus, makes very little reference put up the Greek gods as spirited agents in history, preferring coalesce understand events in terms all but their human causes. Nevertheless, filth sculpts a cohesive narrative stuff which Athens’ loss in Sicilia is both the logical product of poor leadership and protract almost-cosmic punishment for a society’s ethical decline.

Thucydides’ Legacy

It took several generations for Thucydides closely attain his now-unassailed place in the same way one of the greatest historians of all time.

Aristotle, who lived a few decades afterwards and wrote about the corresponding era, never mentions him. Tough the first century B.C. writers such as Cicero declared him as a great historian. Cease trading the next centuries, numerous copies were made of the occupation, ensuring its survival past depiction dark ages. After the Revival, political philosophers from Thomas Philosopher to Friedrich Nietzsche extolled Thucydides’ clear vision and realist’s discernment of politics and warfare.

Citation Information

Article Title

Thucydides

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 18,

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 30,

Original Published Date

November 9,