Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

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Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

In History of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides details the armed conflict between Sparta and Athens. Between 431 and 404 BCE, Athens represented a formidable force with great sea power while Sparta had a dominant land army. In the book, Thucydides states that growing maritime powers and innovative leadership led to the Spartans, making a preemptive attack against Athens in 430.

Athens preferred advanced leadership; therefore, its growing influence created fear among the Spartans who attacked it in 430. According to Thucydides (431 BC/2009), the Athenians had grown Athens from another Greek city into an Empire. During the Persian Wars, Athens transformed itself, becoming a significant maritime and trading hub. Its quick emergence as a great Empire upset the status quo and political power balance (Jaffe, 2017). With...