Peloponnesian War

History,  Texts,  Video

Introducing an augmented translation of Thucydides: Book 1

We are pleased to share in the Text Library a revised translation of the first part of Book 1 of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War that tracks key terms. The selection, chapters 1-23, includes Thucydides’ opening statement, the ‘Archaeology’, and a Preface in which he outlines his methods. Jeffrey Rusten, Keith DeStone, Janet M Ozsolak, Sarah Scott, Hélène Emeriaud This edition was the result of a community-driven collaborative “augmented translation” project. The group… Read more

History,  Video

Overview of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War Book 1

We are pleased to share this video in which Jeffrey Rusten, Cornell University, introduces the structure and themes of Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War, Book 1. Mentioned in this video: Low, Polly (editor) 2023. The Cambridge Companion to Thucydides. Cambridge, UK. Diamond, Jared. 1998. Guns, Germs, and Steel. New York. Jeffrey Rusten Jeffrey Rusten has taught at Cornell since 1988, in the Classics Dept, of which he has twice been chair, as… Read more

History,  Texts,  Video

Introducing an augmented translation of Thucydides: Book 2

We are pleased to share in the Text Library a revised translation of selections from Book 2 of Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War that tracks Key terms. The selected part of Book 2—chapters 34–65—includes some important and famous sections, and within these are particular focus passages indicated by highlighting: Pericles’ Funeral Oration The plague in Athens Pericles’ last speech Thucydides’ assessment of Pericles This edition was the result of a community-driven… Read more

History

The Battle of Sybota | part 2: Aid and succour for the Corcyraeans

In part 1: The siege of Epidamnus, and embassies to Athens, we left the forces gathering after the Athenians sent ten ships to assist Corcyra against the assembled Corinthians and their allies. The Corcyraeans positioned their fleet of 110 ships, under the command of Meikiades and two others, near the Sybota Islands, where also the ten Athenian ships were present. The land forces that were posted at Leukimme included a… Read more

History

The Battle of Sybota | part 1: The siege of Epidamnus, and embassies to Athens

By 433 BCE, the trade network of Athens reached from the Crimea to Egypt and as far west as Marseille. The navy served to protect the trade routes between the colonies and the mētropolis. Corinth was an ally of Sparta. Corcyra (Corfu) was an unwilling colony of Corinth and not part of either the Athenian or the Peloponnesian League. Corcyra operated a fleet of 120 galleys.[1] Figure 1: Gorgon at… Read more