The Peloponnesian War 431-404 BC

Osprey Essential Histories #27

by Philip de Souza

It is a testament to the enduring intrigue of the subject that even today the events of the Peloponnesian War are studied for what they can teach about diplomacy, strategy, and tactics. Philip de Souza's book reveals the darker side of Classical Greek civilization--from the horrific effects of overcrowding and the plague on the Athenian population to the vicious civil strife that often erupted in cities allied with Athens or Sparta. This volume offers vivid and at times disturbing insights into the impact of warfare on the people who are celebrated as the founders of Western civilization.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Greece, War

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Dr. Philip de Souza is a Dublin-based academic author and historian and has written widely on warfare and conflict in the Ancient World. He is a lecturer in the School of Classics at University College Dublin.

Reviews

[Manolo González · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty decent for a 100 pages long, I really was expecting a flop, but I’m happy I was wrong.

[Mk Rath · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I get most from this book?

Alkibiades. Fuck that guy.

[Koit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty decent overview of the Peloponnesian War which glosses over some parts which I would mention (the Melian Dialogue) but describes others in greater detail (culture).

I enjoyed the intermediary sections on everyday life as especially with the limited allowed length of an Osprey book, it is very simple to spend it all describing purely military affairs. I would note that I wish the book had put more effort into describing the end of the war, as it received a relatively short description compared to the beginning but that can be ascribed to the fewer sources we have available.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm about to read Thucydides' and Xenophon's account of this war - and thought it'd be a good idea to get a review (aka Cliff's Notes) so I'll have a better understanding beforehand. I think I got that with this book. About to start reading Thucydides first . . . and we'll see if it helped. The Souza book was very informative and a quick, non-boring read . . . so I recommend it.

[Bill38silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is many years since I read about the Athenians and Spartans which sparked my interest in history but I was easily able to recapture my enthusiasm for these two "super-powers" with this short book. Fascinating, it was devoured in one sitting. The concise narrative is well written, and covers the important points of the military campaign interspersed with a few short interesting chapters on an unnamed soldiers' story, politics and culture and a portrait of a female citizen.
A stomping good example of the high standard of Osprey Essential Histories. Although not particularly drawn towards military history, it is fascinating to read about some of the strategies, tactics and logistics surrounding key events.

[Declan Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Osprey succeed again with an overview of the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens. A great overview of the conflict, easily explained, described with great maps and pictures of artifacts.

Obviously impossible to go into great depth about any particular area but this has given me a good overview of a period I didn't know very well but forms a good background to the era of Alexander and the Greek's relationship with the great power of Persia.

[Bhuvan N · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview of the clashes between the democratic Athens & oligarchic Sparta. The book doesn't have as many maps as the previous book on the Greco-Persian wars.

Now that I've a fairly good understanding of the conditions leading up to the rise of Philip II, I can start reading Adrian Goldsworthy's biography of Alexander the Accursed!

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this on a train trip. These Osprey books are really convenient for giving comprehensive and interesting coverage of military history in a easily read format.

This is my second Osprey Essential Histories book, the first being 'Ancient Israel at War #67'.

This one gives insight into the wars of ancient Greece, in particular the conflict between Athenians and Spartans during the 5th century BC. A very interesting read, that covers not only mere military issues, but also maps this in relation to politics and social conventions.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly just facts and very little interpretation. I would have preferred some more analysis; I’m not sure what I’m supposed to have taken away from this war. I had thought before reading that the Spartans land power was able to defeat the Anthenian sea power through clever strategy...but no, the Spartans just got the Persian king to bankroll their Navy. So the military with the most money won. That’s not a clever or unexpected conclusion.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice summary of the period. Easier to find things than in Thucydides.