The Bucket List Book Adventure: Thucydides and the History of the Peloponnesian War

by a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads – Art and Other Odd Adventures

Dear Henry,

Book twelve of the Bucket List Book Adventure — Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War — is complete! Let me tell you all about it.

The Peloponnesian War was a long and devastating conflict between Sparta and Athens, along with their respective allies. It began in 431 BC and raged for nearly three decades, ending in 404 BC. Both city-states had distinct advantages: Sparta possessed unmatched discipline and the most formidable army in Greece, while Athens commanded the seas with a powerful navy and secure defensive walls.

The war itself began with a dispute between Corinth, a Spartan ally, and its colony Corcyra, which appealed to Athens for help. When the Athenian navy intervened, the first sparks of war were lit.

"And it is easier, I should say, to ward off hardship than to maintain happiness."

-Thucydides

The early years of the conflict were primarily characterized by stalemate. The Spartans attacked the Athenian countryside, while the Athenians sheltered behind their walls, relying on their fleet and wealth to keep the city supplied. Disaster struck in 430 BC when plague swept through Athens, claiming the life of its great leader, Pericles. His successor, Cleon, lacked his vision and restraint. Though Athens still managed some successes, including the capture of Pylos, Cleon’s refusal to accept peace terms in 425 BC would prove costly.

Both Cleon and the Spartan general Brasidas were killed in 422 BC during the Battle of Amphipolis, which weakened Athens considerably. A temporary peace, the Peace of Nicias, followed in 421 BC. But it didn’t last. In 415 BC, under the flamboyant leadership of Alcibiades, Athens launched the disastrous Sicilian Expedition against Syracuse. Sparta, bolstered by Persian support, retaliated and built its own navy. By 405 BC, the Athenian fleet was destroyed, and in 404 BC, Athens surrendered. Sparta ruled what was left of Greece.

"We make friends by doing good to others, not by receiving good from them."

- Thucydides

Thucydides himself fought in the early years of the war as an Athenian general. After the defeat at Amphipolis, he was exiled, giving him rare access to both sides of the conflict. His account is remarkable for its objectivity; the gods play no role in his version of history. Instead, Thucydides attributes events to human motives: fear, ambition, and self-interest. His work laid the foundation for political realism and “scientific history,” emphasizing evidence and human agency over divine intervention.

The text ends abruptly in 411 BC, suggesting Thucydides died before completing it. Still, within its unfinished pages lie two of the most studied works in political thought: The Melian Dialogue and Pericles’s Funeral Oration, both essential reading for anyone exploring power, ethics, and the human condition.

"Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear."

-Thucydides

This book was a beast to read, dense with detail and strategy, but it’s also deeply revealing. Thucydides shows us that wars are rarely about ideals and often about fear and pride. Sparta’s victory, built on discipline and endurance, stands in contrast to Athenian brilliance and overconfidence. It’s a reminder that the strength of character often outlasts wealth or intellect.

It’s also a profound reflection on human nature, on how easily we are swayed by the first story we hear, how we make friends through kindness, and how maintaining happiness can be harder than enduring hardship.

Next up, I’m stepping back into the realm of gods and tragedy with Euripides’s Hippolytus. I’ll let you know what I think soon.

xoxo,
a.d. elliott

*Note* The Bucket List Book Adventure continues on Rite of Fancy — my literary corner of the Take the Back Roads journey.  Come read more reflections on philosophy, faith, and the books that shape the road.

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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