The Peloponnesian War

Sinopse

Athens And Sparta In Savage Conflict 431-404 Bc

The Peloponnesian War was not only the greatest convulsion of the ancient world, but one of the turning points in civilization. It pitted democratic Athens against militaristic, oligarchic Sparta in a bloody struggle for control of Greece. The result was a period of unprecedented brutality, one that violated even the rugged code that had previously governed Greek combat. It led to an enormous destruction of life and property and a reversal of the trend toward democratic development, followed by a collapse in the habits, institutions, beliefs and restraints that had long been the foundation of civilized life.
Donald Kagan, one of the world’s most respected classical, political and military historians, has written a masterful account of this cataclysmic conflict a lively, readable tale that offers a richly detailed portrait of a vanished world. With its fresh examination of a pivotal moment of Western civilization, The Peloponnesian War is a magisterial work of history – a chronicle of a dark time whose lessons are especially resonant today.