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Warfare and History
The Peloponnesian War
The range and extent of the Peloponnesian War of the fifth century BC has led to it being described as a 'world war' in miniature. With the struggle between Athens and Sparta at its core, the twenty-seven-year conflict drew in states from all points of the compass; from Byzantion in the north, Crete in the south, Asia Minor in the east and Sicily in the west.
Since Thucydides described the war as 'the greatest disturbance to befall the Greeks' numerous studies have been made of individual episodes and topics. This authoritative work is the first single-volume study of the entire war to be published in over seventy-five years. Lazenby avoids the tendency of allowing historiography to obscure the analysis, and while paying due attention to detail, also looks at the fundamental questions of warfare raised by the conflict.
Within a narrative framework, Lazenby concentrates on the fighting itself, and examining the way in which both strategy and tactics developed as the conflict spread. Not afraid to challenge accepted views, he assesses the war as a military rather than a political endeavour, evaluating issues such as the advantages and limitations of sea power. A readable and clear survey, this text offers a balanced discussion of controversial themes, and will appeal to ancient historians, classicists and all those who are interested in military history.
Since Thucydides described the war as 'the greatest disturbance to befall the Greeks' numerous studies have been made of individual episodes and topics. This authoritative work is the first single-volume study of the entire war to be published in over seventy-five years. Lazenby avoids the tendency of allowing historiography to obscure the analysis, and while paying due attention to detail, also looks at the fundamental questions of warfare raised by the conflict.
Within a narrative framework, Lazenby concentrates on the fighting itself, and examining the way in which both strategy and tactics developed as the conflict spread. Not afraid to challenge accepted views, he assesses the war as a military rather than a political endeavour, evaluating issues such as the advantages and limitations of sea power. A readable and clear survey, this text offers a balanced discussion of controversial themes, and will appeal to ancient historians, classicists and all those who are interested in military history.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published November 27, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 5, 2022
3,5/5
dobry opis wojny, szczegółowy, porywający, jednak skomplikowana narracja i pewna niekonsekwencja w porównywaniu źródeł wprowadzały chaos i utrudniały czytanie.
niemniej polecam, jedyna takie wypracowanie na polskim rynku, a obiektywne, używające wielu źródeł i klasycznych, i nowoczesnych. obowiązkowa pozycja dla miłośników antycznej Grecji i jej historii
dobry opis wojny, szczegółowy, porywający, jednak skomplikowana narracja i pewna niekonsekwencja w porównywaniu źródeł wprowadzały chaos i utrudniały czytanie.
niemniej polecam, jedyna takie wypracowanie na polskim rynku, a obiektywne, używające wielu źródeł i klasycznych, i nowoczesnych. obowiązkowa pozycja dla miłośników antycznej Grecji i jej historii
April 14, 2025
For fans of ancient history who want writers to stick to the sources, Lazenby might be your guy. He focuses mostly on the actual campaigns, engagements, tactics, and logistics of the war, without spending much time on politics or motivation. Because of this, you probably want to have a basic understanding of the Peloponnesian War and the 5th century Athens before tackling this one.
For the first half of the war, Lazenby primarily gives a reading of Thucydides focused on the elements described above, but after Sicily, he starts to look at Xenophon, Didorus, Plutarch, and the more minor historical fragments side by side. He explains what the differences between the versions are and argues for what he thinks was the most plausible. This is particularly helpful if you're trying to understand the differences between Xenophon and Diodorus, or if you're trying to make sense of the timeline of the last ten years of the war.
Lazenby also deserves credit for providing what may be the easiest to follow summary of Agis's various moves during the brief period of hostilities between Sparta and Argos during the Peace of Nicias.
For the first half of the war, Lazenby primarily gives a reading of Thucydides focused on the elements described above, but after Sicily, he starts to look at Xenophon, Didorus, Plutarch, and the more minor historical fragments side by side. He explains what the differences between the versions are and argues for what he thinks was the most plausible. This is particularly helpful if you're trying to understand the differences between Xenophon and Diodorus, or if you're trying to make sense of the timeline of the last ten years of the war.
Lazenby also deserves credit for providing what may be the easiest to follow summary of Agis's various moves during the brief period of hostilities between Sparta and Argos during the Peace of Nicias.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews