History of the Peloponnesian War

Socrates, a philosopher that had lasting effects in Greek history. It began with Peloponnesian Wars, which ended with the desecration of Athens’ main source of pride, their democracy. Ensuing the loss of their government system, Athenians felt intimidated by Socrates and his beliefs, which eventually led to his demise. Athens executed Socrates after the downfall of their democratic system following their defeat in the second Peloponnesian War; despite the fact that Socrates was not guilty of his…

feeling, but Is good at philosophy, literature, art, mathematics, cultural capital, but also the sea Pa people. More importantly, after the second Greco-Persian Wars (480 to 479 BC), the relationship between the two sides rapidly deteriorated, and ultimately the two teams in the year 431 years broke out for 27 years of the Peloponnesian War. Spartan and Athens oppose the image not only in the modern but even in ancient times are also…

The Warfare of the Greek Dark Ages and Classical Era The act of war is one that is very complex in nature, due to its attachment to mortal human desires and politics. The reasons for which humanity, specifically the Greeks, engaged in warfare evolved throughout time. As the Greeks transitioned from the Dark Ages to the Classical Era distinct differences can be found in their method of going to war, and fighting during it. The transition of command moving from the hands of private individuals…

Ilan Avineri HIST-315 October 1st, 2017 The Thucydides Trap: An Applied History In the 21st century, political pundits chronically flood the media with supposedly prescient analyses of an inevitable conflict. Whether it be the expanding industrial Chinese that present a challenge to the established western hegemons, or the supposed droves of Islamists flowing from the “muslim world” - the emphasis is on an inescapable collision. Among these analysts, is former national security advisor and…

The Peloponnesian War was a long battle between the two greatest city-states of Greece, Athens and Sparta. The war took nearly thirty years until its final end; it was from 431-404 B.C. In the beginning of the war Athens controlled one of the strongest empires, at the end of the war Athens could barely maintain itself. Why? Thucydides, an Athenian general at the time left us with an excessive amount of knowledge on this war, as he wrote a textbook on the war called “History of the Peloponnesian…

is to review the sources available to us and examine any information they provide about the impact of the Megarian decree, as well as the conclusions modern scholarship has arrived at concerning the decree. Thucydides, a contemporary of the Peloponnesian War, provides our first details about the Megarian decree. The historian references the decree several times throughout the first book…

According to Thucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War, justice, and the lack of it, was the main way of validating actions and making definitive decisions. The clearest role of justice concerned decision making, especially in circumstances of war. When poleis would make allies, they would consider what the justest and fairest path to take would be, despite disadvantages. The Plataeans allied with Athens rather than Sparta because it was “as justice required” and even held their decision with…

When a warrior dies in Homer’s Iliad and Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, he loses his ability to take control of his own life. Having surrendered to his fate (moira), the duty to protect the fallen warrior falls upon his comrades. These warriors feel that they have a moral duty to protect the bodies of the fallen, particularly those who died in service to their communities and cities (poleis). If a man does not die in the line of duty, however, his body may not receive the same…

slaves they owned since the poor could not afford slaves. Thus, it seems that these great civilizations lived different from one another. Despite their differences in lifestyles, one comparable attribute of Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt would be their religion. Both civilizations practiced a polytheistic religion which meant they believed in more than one god. Ancient Egypt was ruled by pharaohs. Pharaohs were the highest level in the Egyptian society and were considered close to the gods.…

different events that take place during the Peloponnesian War. Keeping the chronology in mind, he gives us each and every detail of the war that he also lived through. Thucydides uses elaborative speeches throughout the text, Pericles’ eulogy being the best of them. While these elaborative speeches and debate are persuading and motivating, they also reflect the oral culture among the Greeks. Thucydides interpretation of the causes and events of the Peloponnesian War is really commendable; his…