---
title: Thucydides
author: James Lloyd
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/Thucydides/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Thucydides
_Authored by [James Lloyd](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jtl203/)_
Thucydides (c. 460/455 - 399/398 BCE) was an Athenian general who wrote the contemporary *History of the [Peloponnesian War](https://www.worldhistory.org/Peloponnesian_War/)* between [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) and [Sparta](https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/), which lasted from 431 BCE to 404 BCE. However, Thucydides' *History* was never finished, and as such, ends mid-sentence in the winter of 411 BCE. The *History* was divided into 13 separate books by later scholars, but is now, in its modern form, divided into eight books. Thucydides is quite often seen as the first historian to use 'modern' ideals with regards to his methodologies and ideologies, including the way that he uses eye witnesses as sources and cross-examines them, and the way that he uses speeches (a much-debated issue because of the problem of interpreting what Thucydides means when he describes how he goes about [writing](https://www.worldhistory.org/writing/) them, such as in (1.21) where it is not clear whether the speeches he quotes can be trusted as accurate accounts of what was said, or if they have been slightly fabricated by Thucydides to help with his themes). His work is meant as a “possession for all time” (1.22), rather than a piece designed to please the public (one of Thucydides' many possible jabs at [Herodotus](https://www.worldhistory.org/herodotus/) and the other prose chroniclers of the day).
However, Thucydides' *History* was by no means the first history, which might be argued to have originated from [Homer](https://www.worldhistory.org/homer/)'s oral 'history' of the Hellenes' heroic age. Still, a clear distinction to make is that whilst Homer was inspired by the [Muses](https://www.worldhistory.org/muse/), Thucydides was inspired by his “histories”, his inquiries (our word for history comes from the same [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) word which means an inquiry). But again, Thucydides was not the first person to write down their findings as a 'history'; it was Thucydides' near contemporary Herodotus who did that (on a grand scale, even though there were 'proto-historians' who wrote before him on a lesser scale). And whilst Herodotus was not inspired by the Muses (despite some of his passages feeling like they might have been), he still involves the gods and superstitions as motives and reasons for events.
There are two "Lives of Thucydides", both rather lacking in terms of actual biographical details (when compared to one of the many biographical works on [Plutarch](https://www.worldhistory.org/plutarch/)): the better, more detailed, account is a combination of biography and literary criticism, written by a 6th century CE grammarian called Marcellinus. From Marcellinus we know that Thucydides' father was called Olorus (a Thracian name) and also that he was perhaps related to [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/), since Olorus was the name of Cimon's grandfather, too. However, the reliability of these details is less than certain.
During Thucydides' generalship, he was sent to Thrace to oppose the actions of the Spartan general Brasidas. It was during this time that Thucydides failed to defend the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of [Amphipolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Amphipolis/), and as a result, was sent into exile by the Athenian people for 20 years. There is no real way to say for certain what happened to Thucydides after this, since he does not refer to his own actions *per se* after his failure at Amphipolis (which he recounts in the third person). However, it is reasonable to assume that this exile presented him with an excellent opportunity to gather accounts from both the Spartan and Athenian sides. Thucydides may have returned to Athens, around 404 BCE, with the fall of the [Athenian Democracy](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athenian_Democracy/) and the imposition of [the Thirty Tyrants](https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Thirty_Tyrants/) in Athens by the victorious Spartans, but again, this is not certain.
There are various elements of his *History* which are very worthy of note: [Pericles](https://www.worldhistory.org/pericles/)' funeral oration (2.35-6), his description of the [plague](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/plague/) (2.47-54), the Mytilenian Debate (3.36-50), the Melian Dialogue (5.85-113), and the Sicilian Expedition (6 & 7) and his introductory sections, which include his *Archaeologia* and *Methodologies* (1.1-23).
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## Bibliography
- Maitland, J. "‘Marcellinus’’ Life of Thucydides: Criticism and Criteria in the Biographical." *The Classical Quarterly*, 46/ 2/ 1996, pp. 538-558.
## About the Author
James' main area of research is ancient Greek music, but he has general interests in mythology, religion, and art & archaeology. A self-confessed philhellene, James keeps at least one eye on the Roman pie.
- [Facebook Profile](https://www.facebook.com/jan.vandercrabben@ancient.eu)
## Timeline
- **c. 460 BCE - c. 399 BCE**: Life of [Thucydides](https://www.worldhistory.org/Thucydides/).
- **424 BCE**: Spartan general [Brasidas](https://www.worldhistory.org/Brasidas/) takes [Amphipolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Amphipolis/), [Thucydides](https://www.worldhistory.org/Thucydides/) failed to prevent this and is exiled.
## External Links
- [In Our Time, Thucydides](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050bcf1)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Lloyd, J. (2012, April 19). Thucydides. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Lloyd, James. "Thucydides." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 19, 2012. .
### MLA
Lloyd, James. "Thucydides." *World History Encyclopedia*, 19 Apr 2012, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [James Lloyd](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jtl203/ "User Page: James Lloyd"), published on 19 April 2012. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.