The first nine years of the war; The Peloponnesian War - Books 1-4, Thucydides

 

Why you might read the Peloponnesian War?

Thucydides work in the Peloponnesian war is credited as the first of modern history. While it is not the first to try and report history. It is none the less the first that tries to do so dispassionately and without melodrama. As such it is a great way to expand your understanding of what history is and where the genre has come from.

For my Self-Education project, it serves as the second history that I have sat down to read. It is the more important of the two for the reasons outlined above. One of the objectives of this project was to start at the start of genres and ideas. Because of this Thucydides deserves pride of place as the first serious and focused history.

The Content of the Peloponnesian War, Books 1-4

Book 1: 

Introduction

Thucydides spends most of his introduction laying the groundwork for what is to come. He explains that he is trying to get as close to the facts as possible. He even hypothesises that it might be dryer to read. Dryer because it doesn't have the "romanticism" you would get in other accounts. He also lays out the prehistory of the Hellenites. First as a mobile population without much agriculture. Through to starting to build navies and walls for their cities. With that, he details the rise of first Sparta and then Athens one as a power of the sea and the other as the power on land. He leaves us there ready to jump into the fighting between these two.

The Dispute over Epidamnus

Epidamnus suffers some internal struggles. Being a colony of Corcyra sent word to there for help. The Corcyrans refused. So Epidamnus reaches out to Corinth, as they had been part of the colonists, for help. Corinth provides help in the form of troops that are settlers. Corcyran sees this as an act of aggression and attacks. Corcyran wins but then is spooked by Corinth building more boats. They decide to ask for an alliance with Athens. Both sides put their view of events to Athens. Athens then decides to grant Corcyran a partial alliance. The alliance is that they will help defend Corcyran land but otherwise not engage.

The Dispute over Corcyran

Athens sends 10 boats, with their compliment of troops, to Corcyran. The Corinthians sail to the general area and the two forces meet in the open ocean. Thucydides notes that it is the old style of fighting. The old-style is of ramming and then fighting hand to hand rather than a true naval battle. the Corinthians win most of the battle, though one wing is routed and chased to camp by the Corcyrans. During this battle, the Athenians have committed themselves to help the Corcyrans. The Corinthians press forward but spy more Athenian boats coming to help so back off for the night. The next day with the force balance is reversed by the extra Athenian boats. The Corinthians ask the Athenians if they will break the treaty they have with them. The Athenians reply that this does not break it. That they will not pursue the Corinthians. As long as they are not threatening Corcyran territory. The Corinthians sail home, but both sides claim the victory.

The Dispute over Potidaea

Potidaea while paying tribute to Athens and part of its alliance is a colony of Corinth. They want to rebel and Corinth suggests they do as Sparta has said if Athens moves there they will move in Attica. Potidaea and some of its surrounding towns rebel and throw off Athenian rule. Athens has already sent an army to pacify it. They do this successfully against the Corinthian troops sent to help Potidaea.

The Debate at Sparta and Declaration of War

The smaller city's of the Spartan alliance take the floor at the assembly. They explain to the assembly the increasing aggression of the Athenians. The Corinthian ambassador give a long speech to the Spartan assembly. In this speech, they detail their dealings with Athens. As well as the escalation of the situation and how Athens has already broken the peace treaty. This is followed by ambassadors from Athens. These ambassadors were not sent for this purpose but were in Sparta on business. They give an account but never rebut any of the points. Rather leaning on Athens size and navy. As well as what happened in the Persian war to try and convince Sparta to delay in any action. The King of Sparta then adds his thoughts about how Sparta should wait and grow its strength. Finally one of the Ephors speaks saying he does not understand long speeches. He concludes that Athens has clearly violated the treaty. The Spartans then take it to the vote by assent but the convener cannot tell which side won. He then asks them to go to sides of the room for their votes. From this war is declared by Sparta and thus the alliance against Athens.

The Pentecontaetia

Thucydides takes us back a little further to show us how Athens came to have such a powerful alliance. He goes over the various towns and cities they captured. Some though were recaptured or revolted. As well as where Athens put down revolts. It also details the expedition to Egypt to support the revolt there from the Persian Empire. A lot of the cites they took were from the Persian Empire, many they held on to but some were recaptured. We see Athens power grow. These seizures the start of the conflict between them and Sparta. This conflict leads to the 30-year truce being broken in the previous section.

The Allied Congress at Sparta

Sparta gets its allies together to see if they will agree to war against Athens. Thucydides records on speech imploring them to vote for war. War is agreed but they choose to build up their forces and not attack straight away.

The Stories of Pausanias and Themistocles

Thucydides then sidetracks to tell how one man betrayed Athens to the Persian. But that his attempts were thwarted and he would end up in exile. He ends up living with the Persians and wows them with his insight. Ultimately he cannot fulfil his promise to bring Athens under his control. From there it would be under the control of the Persians.

The Spartan Ultimatum and Pericles' Reply

The Spartans start sending envoys to Athens making unreasonable but truthful requests. The first is to exile people related to an event in which the goddess' supplicants were dragged off. Athens counters with a similar request. Finally, Sparta sends an ultimatum demanding the return of some cities. As well as the discontinuing of an embargo against one of their cities. And finally to give all Hellenites their freedom. In Athens senate, Pericles argues for the war on the bases that if they force it to be at sea they are sure to win. Athens agrees. 

Book 2:

Outbreak of War

First Thucydides outlines the attack made by the Theban against Plataea. This is to try and get them to change sides before the war broke out, they were in the Athenian alliance. Plataea didn't want to change and managed to capture what of the invading force did not die in the fighting. Theban reinforcements arrived too late. Then they were tricked into retreating. The Athenians promise the return of their captured men. Plataea instead executes them. Before the war starts in full Thucydides lists the resources each side had at their disposal. 

The first year of the war

The war starts with the king of Sparta taking his army and invading Attica. At first, he does not go far into the territory. Thucydides supposes that he still thought the Athenians would come to terms. Eventually, he moves on to rampaging through the rest of the land. His delays did allow Athens to bring its possessions and people inside the city walls. The Athenians retaliate by sailing around the Peloponnese. Then rampaging from the boats into the Spartan's land. Thucydides rounds out the year with the winter actions of the two players. The Peloponnesians withdraw from Attica. Athens makes a quick land foray into enemy territory and does some damage. Athens also establishes an extra island base.

Pericles' Funeral Oration

Thucydides lays out the Athenian custom relating to the war dead. They were buried that winter. It included a procession of the bones and a public funeral in which the best gave a speech honouring the dead. Pericles was chosen for this. He proceeded to spend more time talking about the greatness of Athens than in praising the dead.

The Plague

In the second year of the war,  the Peloponnesians were ravaging Attica and other areas. Athens at the same time sufferers a major plague. Thucydides does not speak in terms of numbers or percentages of the population. Rather he speaks of it killing poor and rich alike. That it did not matter how the person was treated they usually still died. He did layout the general symptoms of the plague and its suggested origins in Egypt. Some did survive though and lived as if sickness could no longer touch them. This lead to a disheartening in the people. They started to live like they would die tomorrow. That the only thing worth pursuing was gratification. He also comments that one foray by the navy was turned back by losing a quarter of the men to the plague in the space of a week.

The Policy of Pericles

The Athenians get so disheartened with the enemy in their territory and the plague in their city. They send an envoy to Sparta, which is rejected. They start to get angry with Pericles, who was a main supporter of the war. He resolves this by speaking to them and helping to renew their courage. this seemed to work though they did still grumble. Pericles' main opinions that Athens should not go out to meet the Peloponnesians. That a battle on the plain would not go their way. Rather they should stay behind her walls. Also that she should not try and increase her empire while at war. And do nothing that would endanger the cities safety. These were all policy while Pericles was the general and alive, which was about two and a half years.

The fall of Potidaea

The Potidaeatians run out of food and some even resort to cannibalism from the long siege. Because of this, they come to terms. The generals on the Athenian side agree to let them escape with the clothes on their backs and a little money. They go and settle elsewhere in the area, wherever would take them. The generals were reprimanded for not taking the decision to Athens. Athens thought they could have got unconditional surrender.

The Siege of Plataea

The next summer the Peloponnesian army does not go raiding in Attica. Instead, they lay siege to Plataea. The people of Plataea ask them to remember the oath taken by the king's father. The king of Sparta points out it is them breaking that as they have joined the Athenians. There is a protracted siege. The Peloponnesians build a mound to try and get over the wall. The people of Plataea undermine this in several ways. first, they build up a wooden upper wall. They try to break down the mound by digging through their own wall and removing earth from the mound. Eventually, the Spartan army tries to burn them out and mainly succeeds.

Victories of Phormio

Athens has ships defending Naupactus. Sparta sends ships out from Corinth and are spotted by the Athenian ships. The Athenians defeated the Spartans although the Spartans had superior in numbers. This was Sparta's first naval action. The Peloponnesians are re-enforced and draw up at the opposite sides of the gulf. Thucydides records first the Peloponnesian admiral putting fighting spirit back into his men. They needed this to attack force they had previously been defeated by. Then the Athenian sides Admiral doing the same due to the great numbers of the opponent. The ensuing battle at first goes the way of the Peloponnesians and they capture many ships. The retreating Athenians turn on them and recapture many ships and capture many more.

Thrace and Macedonia

Thucydides takes a small detour. In this, he details Thraces encroachment into Macedonia. Including how some of the neighbouring cities were worried. Worried that with Athens distracted the army from Thrace might attack. This did not eventuate. 

Book 3:

Revolt of Mytilene

Mytilene is part of the Athenian alliance but revolts and then sends an envoy to Sparta for help. This envoy speaks to the assembly. He speaks about how they joined Athens when the Persians were invading. How now Athens is gobbling up its free allies and making them part of its empire. That it is not Mytilene that is breaking faith but that the terms are no longer valid. Sparta is swayed by this reasoning and promises to send ships. 42 ship to be exact the following summer, so Mytilene keeps from coming to terms with Athens. Summer comes and the fleet takes its sweet time to get to Mytilene. In the meantime, they have had to come to terms with Athens due to lack of food. The ships get to neighbouring cities. There they find out that Mytilene has fallen and choose to go back to the Peloponnese. Leaving the Mytilene people to Athens. That being said they get favourable terms with the Athenians. They agree to no killing of the perpetrators. Though this may be only until the judgement comes from Athens.

The Mytilenian Debate

The Athenians decide to execute all the men in Mytilene and send out a boat to get that done by the conquering force. The next day many are unhappy with that and the debate comes back around. Thucydides details two of the submissions. The first is in favour of the retribution saying it will dissuade other cites from revolting. And generally scaremongering. That, if they don't other cities, will be more likely to rebel. How can they fight a war and put down revolts at the same time? The second is focused on what is the best possible outcome for Athens. He points out that if the execute them all other cities if they do revolt are less likely to come to terms. for if they come to terms they know that they will be killed. Whereas if Athens is forgiving and just kills the perpetrators. Then other cites are more likely to throw off the revolutionaries. Then stop the revolt by the people, if they think that they can spare their own lives by doing so. The assembly votes to spare them and a ship is sent out to try and beat the first one to Mytilene. It succeeds in doing so by a matter of minutes.

The end of Plataea

Sparta is besieging Plataea but Plataea is out of food. They agree to terms including their people being put through the court. Sparta brings in its allies to help with the court. The court asks one question, "Have you done anything to help the Spartans and their allies in the war?" The Plataeans replied with a long speech about how they were allies back in the time of the Persian war. That Sparta's war dead were even buried there. That they had gone to the Athenian alliance when Thebes was attacking them. Thebes responds. They show how the Plataeans had chosen the Athenian side in this war. They had not taken neutrality when offered to them. As well as how when Thebes had sent men to discuss them changing sides they killed them. Sparta decided that the right question was the first one asked. If the men answered no they were executed. Sparta moved on the people and the city was no more.

Civil war in Corcyra

Corcyra descends into civil war after a pro-Sparta faction tries to seize power. This goes back and forward with much loss of life and loss of property, from fire mainly. The pro-Athens group finally wins power an executes its rivals. Thucydides use this as a chance to speak to the moral decay in the Hellen world due to this war. He speaks of a time where men do what is profitable for themselves. That cunning becomes synonymous with intelligence. That statesmanship becomes something that doesn't really happen. Instead, people put together speeches to justify evil acts.

Operations in Sicily and Greece

That summer Athens sent a ship to Sicily and razed the land but did not take the city. That winter the plague flared back up in Athens for about a year. The plague had lasted about two years the first time. This hurt the army. Yet the Athenians still sent an expedition to Aeolus and ravaged some islands. This was in the winter. The Spartans the following year, lead by the king's son, went to attack by land. They did not get past the isthmus due to earthquakes. Thucydides notes a series of earthquakes and tsunami's across the area. Sparta founded a colony, Heraclea in Trachis. Though it did not turn out as they had wished due to low settler retention. This was because of the neighbours attacking and the vicious governor. Athens also attacked Aetolia they won many towns. Yet they were beaten in the field by the local army and retreated. The Athenians also tried to take Naupactus. Troops arrived from Sparta before they could get there. They decided they could not win and went off elsewhere.

End of the sixth year of war

The Athenians carry out a purification of Delos. This included digging up the graves and moving them to the mainland. There they held Delian games. The armies meet just out of Argos involving the locals. Though the Peloponnesian contingent was larger, their flank was ambushed. This lead to the rout of the force. Their reinforcements were also defeated before they could combine. The locals formed a treaty between each other. This covered all except in relation to the Spartan, Athenian war. 

Book 4:

Athenian success at Pylos

The Athenians while sailing around the Peloponnese stop at Pylos. One of their commanders argues they should fortify it as there is a harbour and it is close to Sparta. His fellow commanders and the army both disagree. The weather is bad and they end up staying for a while and the sailors either get bored or start to worry about Sparta. They fortify the position. When they go to leave they leave a force there to hold it. Sparta after withdrawing from Attica for the summer send troops. They try and take it back by land and by sea as well. When they arrive they take the harbour and put troops on the island in the harbour mouth. They hope to deter Athenians from landing. The attack from the sea does not go well with little to no places to land the ships. Then a large Athenian naval detachment shows up and fights in the harbour with the Spartans who lose. The Spartans with men now trapped on the island ask for an armistice. This is while they petition Athens for peace and the end of the war. This petition takes place in Athens but the Athenians do not want peace. So the armistice ends with the Spartan troops still stuck on the island.

Final victory at Pylos

Athens beats the Syracusans in Messina forcing them to retire. In Pylos Athens finally decides to send more ships to try and force a victory before the winter arrives. On the island, the Spartans accidentally set fire to some of the dense woods. This creates some clear land. From this, the Athenians learn that there are more of them than they had realised. Also, they now had somewhere to land. The Athenians land in overwhelming numbers. They kill the local lookouts then proceed to the main camp. At first, the  Spartans try to hold the camp but the Athenians have them surrounded. So they flee to their last line of defence an old fort up on the cliffs. But the Athenians have allies with them that are comfortable with to the landscape. They proceed around on the cliffs to surround the Spartans again. After asking to check with the land-based troops the island troops surrender. They are then taken back to Athens as prisoners.

Further Athenian successes

In the same summer, Athens wins engagements in Corinth, Cocryra. As well as preemptively putting down a revolt in Chios. The following year they had success in Cythera. Thucydides points out the morale of the Spartan troops dropped significantly. When Athens raided on the coasts they did not come up against much resistance. There were troops posted there but they thought that they could not win. They surrendered easily. Athens also won against Aegina.

Peace in Sicily

The cities of Sicily meet and a long speech is put to them. They should agree to peace as there is a bigger threat than their petty disagreements. Athens is in the area and has been helping without being asked, in the civil war and this is cause for alarm. The speaker sees the Athenians incursion as a precursor to them taking control of the area. In his opinion, if they can provide a united front they can send the Athenians away. If they do try and press the situation at least they will be united to fight for their freedom. His idea is carried and the Athenians are informed that they will be held to the peace settlement as well. The Athenians leave. The generals of the fleet are either banished or fined for not proceeding to conquer the island.

Fighting in Megara

Athens invades Megara and takes the fort at Nisaea. The Spartans arrive hoping to save Nisaea but find it has already fallen to the enemy. So they array themselves close to the sea to try and draw out the Athenians, but they refuse to come out and take action. Eventually, Megara allows the Spartans into the city and the Athenians give up and head home.

Brasidas in Thrace

The Spartans under Brasidas march to Thrace through Thessaly.  They were stopped on the way by the locals. But they talked their way into being let through. Though they hurried in case they chose to bring a force up to stop them. On arrival, the Perdiccas allowed them full access to their land. They even paid half the armies expenses. They wanted the Spartans to attack their neighbour Arrhabaeus. The Spartans insisted on speaking to them first. To try and get them to come over to their side by revolution. The Spartan army would support the revolution. Otherwise, the Spartan Army would have to attack. They choose to revolt as did many others in the area.

Athenian defeat at Delium

The Athenians encroach into Boeotia and fortify a temple on a hill. They retreat to rejoin the main army. The Boeotian's march against the Athenian army but it has left their lands. Their commander stirs them up with a speech. He speaks about how they must take the Athenians on for the encroachment. Even if they have retreated and the army catches the Athenians. They line up for battle and come to fighting man to man. One flank is beaten back by the Athenians. The Boeotian commander sees this and sends cavalry to their aid. The fight ends in a complete rout of the Athenian army. The Boeotian's chase down and kill many but most getaway once the sunsets. The Boeotian's then send heralds demanding the withdrawal of Athenian troops. The Athenians are more interested in a truce to claim their dead. The Boeotian's refuse until the fort at Delium is dealt with. They get reinforcements from Spartan forces in the area and march on Delium. They burn down the fortifications and so take out the fort.

Brasidas captures Amphipolis

Brasidas continues capturing cities in Thrace. This is mainly by them choosing to revolt against Athens and him being let in by the revolutionaries. He gained great favour with the cities of the area. He would always let the Athenians take their goods and leave peaceably. In particular, he took Amphipolis by marching during a storm. He had taken their land before they knew it. Taking the city took a little longer but Brasidas moved at pace as he was worried the city would get reinforced. In the end, conspirators opened the gates. Brasidas took the city and favourable terms. As before and he let the Athenians leave with their goods and their lives.

Armistice between Athens and Sparta

Sparta sends an envoy to Athens with a list of possible agreements for an armistice. These have been agreed on by the Spartans and their allies. They mostly detail how things are going to stop and stay in place for the year of the armistice. Though they leave it open to Athenian suggestions. The Athenians agree to it as it was sent and the armistice comes into force. Before he is notified of the armistice Brasidas takes another town. Then there is then an argument over whether he should give it back or not.

End of the ninth year of war

This takes place before the armistice as Thucydides mentions it at the end of the section. Athens fights back against Brasidas. When he moves against Arrhabaeus, he comes up against opposition. He with his allies find the local army formed up against them. They rout them, those that routed move to the top of a hill and stay there. Brasidas and his allies hear they have been betrayed. The force they thought was coming to reinforce them instead reinforces the enemy. They decided to retreat but do not discuss when. Overnight some of Brasidas' allies get spooked and flee. The rest find no choice but to also flee, so when Brasidas' army gets up in the morning it is alone facing a larger army. They still successfully retreat by holding formation and their nerve. When they arrive back in their allies land they rage and plunder the arms left by the fleeing army. This causes discontent. This eventually leads to this city going over to the Athenians. This leaves Brasidas unable to get back to Amphipolis and so he stays where he is. Thucydides then mentions that nothing happens in the winter because of the armistice.

Reflections on The Peloponnesian war, Books 1-4

Book 1:

The first thing that is really interesting is Thucydides introduction. It is more about introducing his methods than introducing his topic, though he also does some of that. And we see the difference in purpose from those who had come before him. He says, “My work is not a piece of writing designed to meet the needs of an immediate public, but was done to last forever.”

Thucydides spends a good deal of time on the things he thinks proceeds the war. This can be seen by the fact that he has used one-eighth of his text on it. And while I do feel it could have been ordered better or possibly that some stories could have been left out. He does neatly lay out the events that proceeded the war as well as the inciting incidents. 

He also does not shy away from reporting the discussions in the senate in Athens and assembly in Sparta. These then lead to the deceleration of war from both sides.

It is Corinth'd alliance with Sparta that set off the war. Otherwise, the initial battles over cities would have remained localised. They would have only lead to a war on a small scale between Corinth and Athens. But their part in the bigger whole makes it a much bigger playing field. That being said in the later parts of the book we see aggression from Athens. These are aimed in other directions than Corinth but still at the Spartan alliance.

The main difference Thucydides sees between the two alliances is financial. Athens takes tributes from its member states. Whereas Sparta only requires troops from its members when there is a war to fight. This means that Sparta has to gather its army and navy from its member states. Whereas Athens can pay to build its army and navy at home.  

Book 2:

Thucydides start with the war proper though as chronological as he is it is a little hard to follow at times. Though near the end of the book he states that was the end of summer three so three years is what he has covered in this book.

The way each side chooses to fight is indicative of them knowing their strengths. Athens by sea to raid in Sparta's back areas and Sparta by land rampaging closer and closer to the Athenian wall. That being said we do see one land raid from Athens. It is in the fall as Sparta has retreated for the winter. In the third year, we see Sparta move to try to cut of allies of Athens. Instead of destroying land where the Athenians can see them. Whether this is a change of strategy or due to the fact that there is not much left to destroy in Attica is not clear.

The naval battles showed the Spartans lack of experience at sea. Though they did do a lot better in the second engagement they were still beaten by a lesser force. This does not bode well for future sea battles. This is especially true when considering Athens has more ships to start with. Actually what surprised me most is that there is only the one set of battles at sea. Whether that is all that happened or if it was all that Thucydides saw fit to mention in three years of war. But then both sides are trying to avoid battles in their less favourable element. So we also see very few actual actions on land. Mainly we see a whole lot of occupying and destroying.

The Plague is an interesting situation. It starts to wipe Athens superiority in numbers and their populaces resolve to fight. As much as their leader tried to bolster them they still were struggling with the burden of war. It is odd that even with invading Attica during the plague it wasn't transmitted to the Spartan army. This suggests that it was only man to man transmittable as a disease. The Spartans were probably right to retire early from the war that year. 

Book 3:

It is interesting how many of the actions we see in this book are not direct conflicts. Instead, they are smaller ones that call in the Spartans and or Athenians to help. Often the winner is whoever gets their first. Some of these are current allies but most are external states that think they can gain something. Even if it is only getting help from the bigger Waring powers. The larger powers do so because they are looking for extra allies and better positions. We see this in the Spartan colony where they agree so they can have a base in the area. Unfortunately, it doesn't end up working out that way for them.

Again Thucydides shows the political debates at Athens. It is interesting that in the end, they put aside justice for the gain of the Athenian war effort. Though it was a debated situation. They are lucky that the second boat made good enough time. That they beat the boat with the previously decided verdict. It is also interesting to see that the assembly at Athens could change its mind. That they could even reopen the debate about a decided issue. I would think that it would weaken their hold on their empire. As well as slow down their political landscape which would make running an empire harder. But Thucydides is rather silent on that and as such, I would assume does not see this as a problem.

The final throws of the dice at Plataea shows that Sparta winning which is a nice contrast to the defeats at sea. The trial of the leaders is a little odd. The leaders themselves show that in how they respond to the question. They plead their case without reference to the question. It feels very much like Sparta to have such a simple and short question because it is from them we get the term laconic.

Thucydides explains the social and moral degradation of the Hellen people. He points to the civil war at Corcrya as the start point of this. While I see his point I think it would be more correct to say that this war between Sparta and Athens is the catalyst. The destabilization of the Hellen corporate identity. It is the war that breeds the disunity that proceeds the moral degradation.

Yet again the plague hits Athens. It leaves me wondering if they would have fared better if they had not had this second problem to deal with. To deal with alongside trying to wage this war. Not that they are faring badly so far. At the absolute least it is a secondary loss of troops. But there is also the effect on morale which Thucydides does not go into.

Thucydides also correctly deduces that of tidal waves are caused by earthquakes. I do not think this was commonly accepted knowledge. He states it as his own opinion rather than fact but that could just make him ahead of his time. 

Book 4:

Thucydides in his introduction suggests that he was part of this war. When he mentions that he has relayed the speeches some which he had heard himself. It is in this book that we find out that he was on the Athenian side and was a general in at least one action.

This book starts off with a lot of Athenian success. Thucydides even mentions that the Athenians start acting like they can't lose. But as the book progresses we see some Spartan victory as well. That being said it is starting to look like the Athenians have the upper hand. Now that we know Thucydides is Athenian we will have to wait and see if this is bias.

The discussion around the temple at Delium is interesting. Both sides argue in the general law of Hellens that they have the right to it. It looks a lot like Athens is trying to justify its actions in fortifying a temple. When Hellenic law says it should be left alone.

The fortification at Pylos is a big blow for the Spartans. Losing land inside their own border, not just to raiding but to occupation by the Athenians. Strategically it also makes it much harder for Sparta to get ships around the peninsular. Once around the peninsular, they could threaten Athens on the other side of the mainland. This is a huge disadvantage for Sparta. It leaves some of its cities without easy access to the main stock of troops in the alliance.

The peace in Sicily is a blow for the Athenians with them trying to take the island to take tribute and support from it. The locals have chosen the smart road to oppose Athens. However, we do not see them reaching out to Sparta. So they do so but rather by their own means unifying so they can stand alone outside of either alliance. They are trying to stay outside the conflict going on in the Peloponnese.

Thucydides goes back and tells other stories from before the armistice. He does so without notifying the reader in any way. It makes me wonder what other things in this history have been out of sequence without me knowing. There have been sometimes where it is clearly so but I wonder about other times. 

What others have to say about the Peloponnesian war, books 1-4

The history co-operative has this to say "The Peloponnesian War is also significant because it’s one of the first wars documented in a reliable way."

Speaking of Thucydides the conversation puts it this way "the war found an author of meticulous standard and dedication who created a work that still resonates in the disciplines of history

Comparisons with other texts

Compared to the Histories by Herodotus, the Peloponnesian war is far more focused. Herodotus rambles through not just the war in question but a whole heap of sidetracks along with the war. Both are trying to relay history. I question if there is a bias in the work Thucydides. He is doing a much better job of writing to be read accurately in the future. Herodotus' by contrast embellishes and extravagates especially in his rounding of numbers. Thucydides is a lot more precise with numbers.

Thucydides makes a statement about the general invading a city to bring it a new form of government.  This reminds me of the current day in the way that certain western countries view wars in foreign lands. It is interesting that a justification of war that is so ancient is still being used today. I guess there is nothing really new in war.

Brasidas treatment of the cities revolting from Athens is a lot like winning hearts and minds. Which is something we hear about with modern wars. It works well for him in this time and it's a strategy that we have seen in work well in more modern wars as well. 

Conclusion

This book will be continued in a second post. So far we have covered the first four books. In this, we have seen Athens gaining the upper hand. But we have also seen it warned about expansionism while at war. We have also looked at how Thucydides set out to write a fair history and how this was a first. Also, we have touched on some tactics that are similar to our modern warfare and marvel at how they have stood the test of time. Finally, we have looked at the differences between this and Herodotus' history.

Have you read The Peloponnesian War? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Peloponnesian War but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

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