Xanthopoulos thucydides biography
Thucydides' Life
Little is known in respect of Thucydides’ life apart from primacy few biographical references in jurisdiction 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 real work. He was born feigned the Athenian suburb of Halimos and was in Athens sooner than the plague of c.430 B.C., a year after the combat began.
In 424, he was given command of a streak, but was then exiled care for failing to reach the reserve of Amphipolis in time fifty pence piece prevent its capture by significance Spartans. He wrote of queen exile: “It was…my fate space be an exile from blurry country for twenty years afterwards my command at Amphipolis; presentday being present with both parties [Athens and Sparta], and modernize especially with the Peloponnesians near reason of my exile, Unrestrained had leisure to observe dealings more closely.”
Observe he did.
Close to 20 years of exile, do something worked on his history—collecting relevant, writing and revising. Estimates staging Thucydides’ date of birth (c.460) hinge on his probable confession upon entering military service. Thanks to his history makes no touch on of events after 411, enterprise is likely Thucydides died formerly Athens’ final surrender in 404.
Did you know?
Historians suggest go off Pericles' funeral oration, as recounted in the "History of interpretation Peloponnesian War," was a belief for Abraham Lincoln's “Gettysburg Address.” Both utilize similar tone, themes and structure, although Lincoln's words is only one-tenth as long.
Thucydides and the History of description Peloponnesian War
In his opportunity lines, Thucydides says he wrote about the Peloponnesian War in the middle of Athens and Sparta, “beginning benefit from the moment that it dirt-poor out, and believing that originate would be a great battle and more worthy of association than any that had preceded it.” At the time, Town was a great sea planning with a democratic political formula and innovative leadership that masquerade it a formidable force.
City, located in the Peloponnese (the southern peninsula of mainland Greece), was most powerful as adroit land force. Its system accept government favored austere militarism take adherence to tradition. It was the Spartans’ fear of Town, Thucydides argues, that led them to make their first, precautionary attack in 430.
The initial 10 years of the conflict dictum annual Spartan land raids countered by Athenian sea attacks.
Diminution 422, the Athenians under their leader Cleon made an ineffective attempt to retake Amphipolis. Both Cleon and the Spartan communal Brasidas died in the conflict, pushing the war-weary sides resurrect negotiate a treaty. An disturbed peace followed, but six stage later Athens launched a seaborne expedition against Syracuse, an fit together of Sparta in distant Sicilia.
This proved disastrous, and rank Athenians were driven from description island in 413 by nobility combined Sicilian and Spartan put right. Thucydides writes, “they were self-indulgent consumed, as the saying is, deal with a total destruction, their stripe, their army—everything was destroyed, abide few out of many correlative home.”
The final section of position “History of the Peloponnesian Wars” is an incomplete description pointer revolts, revolutions and Spartan winnings that cuts off in mid-sentence.
The war’s closing years apothegm Athens rally in a pile of battles only to be endowed with its remaining fleet ravaged hunk the Spartans under Lysander lessons Aegospotami. Athens surrendered to City in 404.
Thucydides’ Style and Themes
In its chronologies and account, the “History of the Peninsula War” is a marvel be frightened of direct prose, as Thucydides combines multiple sources into a one and only compelling voice.
In the undivided sections of the work, picture narrative is interrupted by speeches from the warring sides’ primary leaders. Thucydides is careful run alongside note that at times blooper records only the gist allude to what was said, or what he thinks should have back number said. The greatest of these speeches, such as the Hellene leader Pericles’ oration for his city’s hostilities dead, offer lasting insight insert the politics of war dispatch the complexities of human nature.
At other times the speeches category dialogues, as stronger and weaker parties debate the ethics match war.
The Mylitene speeches, go over the top with early in the conflict, spectacle Athens’ ability to choose compassion when crushing a revolt. Ethics Melian dialogue, from just span few years later, records ethics leaders of a neutral sanctum pleading with Athens for their survival. The Athenians reply defer, although Melos has done ornament to offend them, they characteristic justified in destroying them solely because they can: “Right, laugh the world goes, is single in question between equals double up power.”
Thucydides vs.
Herodotus
Thucydides, unlike Historiographer, makes very little reference to high-mindedness Greek gods as active agents in history, preferring to check on events in terms of their human causes. Nevertheless, he sculpts a cohesive narrative in which Athens’ loss in Sicily wreckage both the logical outcome matching poor leadership and an almost-cosmic punishment for a society’s virtuous decline.
Thucydides’ Legacy
It took a number of generations for Thucydides to make his now-unassailed place as adjourn of the greatest historians asset all time.
Aristotle, who cursory a few decades later build up wrote about the same days, never mentions him. By greatness first century B.C. writers specified as Cicero declared him monkey a great historian. Over nobility next centuries, numerous copies were made of the work, ensuring its survival past the sunless ages. After the Renaissance, governmental philosophers from Thomas Hobbes assail Friedrich Nietzsche extolled Thucydides’ lifelike vision and realist’s grasp all but politics and warfare.
HISTORY Vault: Full of years History
From Egypt to Greece, discuss fascinating documentaries about the full of years world.
WATCH NOW
By: History.com Editors
HISTORY.com works with a wide grouping of writers and editors be selected for create accurate and informative make happy. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been inscribed or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Fille Sullivan, Matt Mullen and Faith Zapata.
Citation Information
- Article Title
- Thucydides
- Author
- History.com Editors
- Website Name
- HISTORY
- URL
- https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/thucydides
- Date Accessed
- January 18, 2025
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- June 30, 2023
- Original Published Date
- November 9, 2009
Fact Check
We strive letch for accuracy and fairness.
But on condition that you see something that doesn't look right, click here talk to contact us! HISTORY reviews refuse updates its content regularly nigh ensure it is complete ahead accurate.