The Peloponnesian War and Thucydides

A war between Athens and Sparta that began in 460 BCE and lasted until 404 BCE, when Athens was defeated.

A coalition of Greek city-states, led by Athens, formed after the Persian Wars.

A 30-year peace treaty between Athens and Sparta, which was supposed to end hostilities in 446 BCE. Interestingly, it only lasted 15 years.

The period of the Peloponnesian War between 431 BCE and 404 BCE, characterized by intense fighting and shifting alliances.

A Greek historian and general who wrote a detailed account of the Peloponnesian War. He was exiled after a military failure in 424 BCE.

A term for a charismatic political leader who can effectively persuade and sway a crowd.

An Athenian general who rose to prominence in the 5th century BCE and led Athens through its golden age.

A deadly plague that ravaged Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides' description of this event is considered highly detailed and insightful.

Thucydides' history is divided into five parts, with the Ten Years War and the Sicilian Expedition being the most polished. This difference in quality has fueled discussions about the timing of their composition.

Thucydides' work moves away from the oral tradition of storytelling and embraces a written, literary tradition, aiming for lasting impact.

Thucydides seeks to record history not for immediate appeal but for long-term significance, suggesting his work is intended to transcend time.

The Athenians decided to invade Sicily, hoping to gain wealth from the city of Syracuse, despite the risks involved. This decision ultimately led to a disastrous defeat for Athens in the Peloponnesian War.

Thucydides' work includes extensive, formal speeches which are famously complex examples of ancient Greek prose. The most famous is Pericles' funeral oration.

Thucydides acknowledges the challenges of reconstructing speeches from memory and emphasizes that his reported speeches aim to capture the essence of the original.

Thucydides' main narrative is characterized by objectivity and analysis, while the speeches presented in the work are more subjective in tone.

The presence of both objective narration and subjective speeches within Thucydides' work highlights the complexity of historical analysis and the variety of perspectives.

Thucydides' writing style is characterized by its poetic vocabulary, diverse figures of speech, harsh sound combinations, and fast-paced delivery, making his prose particularly challenging but impactful.

Thucydides meticulously emphasizes evidence and analysis, aligning himself with historians who strive for accuracy unlike those who focus on myths and narratives.

Thucydides' historical work seeks to identify patterns and lessons from the past to guide future actions, emphasizing the importance of learning from history.

A form of government ruled by a king who inherits their power through lineage.

A ruler who seized control, often forcefully, of an existing government. While often perceived negatively today, in ancient times they weren't always seen as bad.

Athenian democracy is the bedrock of democratic principles, representing a fundamental form of government.

Aristotle distinguishes historians from poets, suggesting that poets explore universal truths while historians focus on specific events.

Describes the process of civil unrest or internal strife within a state. Thucydides' description of this in Corcyra is particularly famous.

Ruled by a small group of elite, aristocratic men, typically the wealthy.

The belief that democracy is closely linked to freedom and equality, with all citizens having equal rights and opportunities.

The most important aspect of liberty in Athenian democracy, allowing citizens to participate in government, speak freely in public and private, and express their opinions.

Athenian democracy was not based on absolute equality, but on the principle that all citizens should have equal opportunities to participate in politics, speak in the assembly, and be treated equally by the law.

A form of government where all citizens are directly involved in decision-making.

A form of government where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

The concept of democracy in Classical Athens was primarily focused on political participation and equality within the city-state, unlike modern understandings which extend to wider social and economic domains.

The removal of the Pisistratid tyrants from Athens marked a significant shift towards democratic governance.

A system that limited the power of aristocratic figures in Athens and aimed to distribute power more evenly across the polis. It involved creating 139 municipalities called demes, organizing them into 10 tribes, and linking citizen rights to deme membership.

A council of 500 in ancient Athenian democracy, with 50 members from each of the 10 tribes. This council was involved in legislative and executive functions.

A system of voting in ancient Athens, specifically for ostracism. Citizens would cast votes on discarded pottery shards (ostrakon) to exile someone from the city for a period of time.

A system in ancient Athens where political decision-making was distributed across different regions of Attica, ensuring that no single area could exert control over the entire territory.

The group of people considered foreigners in Athens. They could not participate in political life but played an important role in the economy.

In ancient Athens, all adult male Athenians held political rights. Women, foreigners, and slaves were excluded, and full political rights were granted only at the age of 30.

The majority of Athens' population were not citizens, and political systems emphasized the importance of being a citizen, often leading to frequent questioning of rivals' parentage and citizenship.

The primary unit of local government in Ancient Athenian democracy, contributing to the larger polis.