thucydides introduction
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Introduction to ThucydidesD Posker-HillHistory Extension
Who was Thucydides?
Θουκυδίδης, Thoukydídēs
C. 460 – 400 BC
Athenian – Alimos/Halimos
“Thucydides the Athenian wrote the history of the war fought between Athens and Sparta…” Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian War, 1.1.
Features of his Work
Use of evidence
Analysis
Judgement
“Set Speeches”
First Hand Experience
Thematic Focus?
• Peloponnesian Wars• 431 to 404 BC
• Athens vs Sparta• Athenian strategos (general)
blamed for military defeat and exiled.
• War and Politics• “And it may well be that my
history will seem less easy to read because of the absence in it of a romantic element” Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian Wars, 1.22.17-19.
Use of Evidence
Claims of “scientific” approachCollating numerous sources
“And with regard to my factual reporting of the events of the war I have made it a principle not to write down the first story that came my way, and not even to be guided by my own general impressions; either I was present myself at the events which I have described or else I heard of them from eye-witnesses whose reports I have checked with as much thoroughness as possible” Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian Wars, 1.22.9-14.
The reality?
Judgments
Doesn’t merely report the event
“But the real reason for the war is, in my opinion, most likely to be disguised by such an argument. What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta.” Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian Wars, 1.23.
Evidence Interpretation History
Analysis
Military Background
Historiographyi.e. dealing with Homes
Exile and Connections
Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian Wars, 1.10.18-40.
Set Speeches
Sophist BackgroundAre they to be trusted?
“In this history I have made use of set speeches some of which were delivered just before and others during the war. I have found it difficult to remember the precise words used in the speeches which I listened to myself and my various informants have experienced the same difficulty; so my method has been, while keeping as closely as possible to the general sense of the words that were actually used, to make the speakers say what, in my opinion, was called for by each situation” Thuc., History of the Peloponnesian Wars, 1.22.1-8.
What are the
purposes of
Thucydides’ history?
Purposes of
history over time
Aims and purposes
of Thucydides
Changing aims and purposes Changing
role of history
Present
the
‘greatest’
war
Post-Exile bias?
No longer
‘story’
How has history been constructed and
recorded over time? Via Thucydides
Forms of historical communication
Written
Types of history in Thucydides
Political
Economic
Military
Where do women fit?
How to study Thucydides…
Context
Type of history/research focus
Aims/purposes
Methodology/ies
How their work has changed from previous/later work incl. critics