Thucydides

Timeline

1. c. -460–-431Athens · AtticaThucydides was born in Athens to a wealthy noble family, well educated and versed in the politics and military affairs of the city-state. Before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War he already possessed the social foundation and political vision for public life.
2. -424Amphipolis · MacedoniaThucydides was ordered to defend Amphipolis but lost it to a surprise attack by the Spartan general Brasidas. The Athenians held him responsible and exiled him for twenty years. This experience allowed him to observe the war as a whole and resolve to record the conflict with rigorous methods.
3. c. -424–-411Greek world · Greek worldDuring his exile Thucydides had extensive contact with all belligerent parties, gathering oral and written sources, and began systematically composing the History of the Peloponnesian War. He deliberately avoided myth and legend, emphasizing political motives such as power, fear, and interest, and striving to balance narrative with analysis.
4. c. -411–-400Athens · AtticaIn his later years Thucydides continued revising his work, which narrates events down to 411 BCE; the final text may have been completed by others. His historiographical method emphasized evidence, causation, and the analytical function of speeches, profoundly influencing later historiography and the study of international relations.