The History of the Peloponnesian War

This definitive new edition of The History of the Peloponnesian War presents Robin Waterfield’s masterful and accessible translation of Thucydides’s timeless classic, complete with an illuminating introduction on how to read and understand the ancient historian’s work. Thucydides’s gripping account of the war between Athens and Sparta (431–404 BCE) remains the only contemporary record of this monumental conflict, vividly portraying battles that spanned from mainland Greece to Sicily and beyond. More than just military history, the text explores themes of political power, civil strife, human ambition, and moral conflict—issues that continue to resonate today. Though Thucydides died before completing his narrative, his History endures as one of the greatest masterpieces of classical literature—a “possession for all time” offering profound insight into both the ancient and modern worlds.