THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES a Comprehensive Guide to the Peloponnesian War

Strassler, Robert B., Editor; Thucydides

ISBN 10: 0684827905 / ISBN 13: 9780684827902

Published by Simon & Schuster, NY, 1998

(USA) First Touchstone edition. No markings, soft crease to top corner of first few leves, Near Fine. Wraps, 713pp, maps,index. B&W portrait of Thucydides. This is anewly evised edition of the Richard Crawley translation with maps, annotations, appendices and encyclopedic index. This has been praised as the best book, throughly readable, with which to start study of the Peloponnesian War. (3.1 JM PLX 501/0 Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾". Seller Inventory # 06905

Synopsis:

Thucydides called his account of two decades of war between Athens and Sparta “a possssion for all time,” and indeed it is the first and still most famous work in the Western historical tradition. Considered essential reading for generals, statesmen, and liberally educated citizens for more than 2,000 years, The Peloponnesian War is a mine of military, moral, political, and philosophical wisdom.

Thucydides called his account of two decades of war between Athens and Sparta “a possssion for all time,” and indeed it is the first and still most famous work in the Western historical tradition. Considered essential reading for generals, statesmen, and liberally educated citizens for more than 2,000 years, The Peloponnesian War is a mine of military, moral, political, and philosophical wisdom.

However, this classic book has long presented obstacles to the uninitiated reader. Robert Strassler's new edition removes these obstacles by providing a new coherence to the narrative overall, and by effectively reconstructing the lost cultural context that Thucydides shared with his original audience. Based on the venerable Richard Crawley translation, updated and revised for modern readers. The Landmark Thucydides includes a vast array of superbly designed and presented maps, brief informative appendices by outstanding classical scholars on subjects of special relevance to the text, explanatory marginal notes on each page, an index of unprecedented subtlety, and numerous other useful features.

In any list of the Great Books of Western Civilization, The Peloponnesian War stands near the top. This authoritative new edition will ensure that its greatness is appreciated by future generations.

Review: Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War is one of the great books in the Western tradition, as well as its first true historical narrative. Editor Robert Strassler has annotated this classic text to make it more accessible to modern readers and added dozens of maps for easy reference. A helpful introduction places Thucydides in proper historical context and a series of short appendices focus on particular aspects of life and war during the period. But the bulk of the book itself, where Thucydides chronicles the long struggle between Athens and Sparta, enjoys an unexpected freshness on these pages--partly due to Strassler's magnificent editorial labors, but mostly because it's a great story resonant with heroes, villains, bravery, desperation, and tragedy. Every library should have a copy of Thucydides in it, especially libraries on military history, and The Landmark Thucydides is without question the best version available.

Bibliographic Details

Title: THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES a Comprehensive ...
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, NY
Publication Date: 1998
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Near Fine
Edition: 1st.