Thucydides

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. IDEA 1

   Fear of rising power caused war

   Thucydides, an Athenian general who lived through the war, argues that its real cause was the growth of Athenian power and the fear this created in Sparta. Other disputes were only the surface reasons.

2. IDEA 2

   History should be accurate

   Thucydides aimed to write an accurate account based on evidence and eyewitnesses, rejecting myths and legends. He hoped his work would be useful for understanding future events. He wanted readers to trust his account because he checked what people told him.

3. IDEA 3

   Pericles praised Athens

   Thucydides records a funeral speech by Pericles honouring fallen soldiers. Pericles praised Athens as a free democracy where citizens took part in public life. Thucydides uses the speech to show what Athens saw as its greatest strengths.

All 8 ideas from History of the Peloponnesian War →