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The History of the Peloponnesian War

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The History of the Peloponnesian War

By: Thucydides
Narrated by: Mike Rogers
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The rivalry between two of the dominant city states of Ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta, erupted into a war lasting nearly 30 years and was to have a dramatic effect on the balance of power in the area. Between 431 and 404 BCE, the two cities battled it out on land and sea, aided by their alliances with neighbouring states: Athens’ Delian League vigorously opposed Sparta’s Peloponnesian League in a conflict which effectively involved the whole region.

Thucydides, in his role as an Athenian general, saw the war from close quarters, and his famous account of it, The History of the Peloponnesian War, is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding early histories. He observes in considerable detail the way in which the fortunes of war swung one way and then another. Sparta was known for its vigorous martial training, expert especially in land battles and Athens, very much a centre of high culture and known for successful sea battles - the combination proved crucial in defeating the Persian invasion 50 years earlier. Thucydides explains what happened when these two proud states came to war. Conflict became inevitable when Sparta became increasingly concerned with the growing power and dominance of the Athenian empire in the region.

This is essentially a military history - tactics and armoury are much in evidence - though it is replete with other important details including portraits and speeches of key figures such as Pericles (the funeral oration given to mark the dead in the first year of the war) and the controversial Athenian general Alcibiades. But Thucydides also describes the destructive effect of war on ordinary citizens, the atrocities committed by both sides, disease, the effect of rain and storms, the influence of power blocs, military overconfidence and political decisions made well behind the battle fronts which interfered with the progress and success of the war.

He recounts the disastrous Sicilian Expedition where a strong Athenian force was virtually destroyed at Syracuse. Thucydides’ History, divided into eight books, ends abruptly in 410 BCE, six years before the conclusion of hostilities, suggesting his death. It is unlikely he ever saw the final defeat of Athens by Sparta in a naval battle, the destruction of the walls of Athens and the ultimate victory of the Peloponnesian League. Nevertheless, his History remains a vivid portrayal of a vicious and unrelenting war lasting nearly three decades between neighbouring rivals. Presented here in the classical translation by Benjamin Jowett, it is read with engaging immediacy by Mike Rogers.(P)2019 Ukemi Productions Ltd Ancient Classics Europe European Greece Literary History & Criticism World Literature Ancient History Military War Ancient Greece Greek Mythology
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Suitably grave and stentorian narration of a truly awe inspiring text. This audio version genuinely adds something.

The best surviving Greek history.

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This is a long book full of dozens (hundreds) of names of people and places, all involved in a complex series of events of often relatively obscure causes that happen over a large area. Without maps and an index of characters - and ideally a chronological recap of what happened when - it's basically impossible to follow. Thucydides does a good job of keeping track, and his reconstructed speeches - articulating motives and interpretations from the perspectives of different participants - are especially helpful and engaging. In this audiobook version, this is particularly the case - the narrator does an excellent job throughout.

But damn, can it be a slog at times. You find your mind wandering, and lose track of what the hell's going on. You skip back to find out, and gradually realise that the entire war is more or less a collection of randomness and futility.

But such is the case with most histories of wars. Because despite war being a popular topic for history books thanks to the huge impact they can have, most wars are actually pretty incoherent, and most battles as much about fortune as battlefield strategy. Some find this fascinating - but I'm always more interested in the bigger picture than the details, the politics rather than the tactics. So maybe this wasn't for me.

Very well read, good translation, still tough to follow

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A great narration of a great classic, worth reading for anyone interested in Ancient history

Fantastic reading

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Sure it's interesting but my god this is a boring way to describe it all.

And then

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I was using this to help me read the original Greek (for studies not for entertainment), and I found at various points there were mistakes; among others, that one city won a battle, when in fact it was the opponent which had won. Elsewhere, a general returns to a city and conquers several around it, but in the translation the city named to which he returns is in fact in the Greek named as one which is reduced.
Overall, however, this was a decent translation, fairly close to the Greek.

Small mistakes in translation

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