As important as Thucydides is, the difficulty for the layperson to grasp him and understand his work, is to overcome certain limitations in his presentation of the war. Robert Strassler's supplemental edition provides resources by providing a commentary of the narrative, and the necessary background of an easily misunderstood cultural tradition that we do not share in order to provide a useful context for modern readers. The work is amply bolstered by a plethora of unique maps, substantive appendices by leading classical scholars, such as Victor Davis Hanson, explanatory marginalia, and a helpful and complete index. Thucydides is much more easily understood by using this volume.

Don't let the fact this book was written over 2,000 years ago sway you from reading it! I'll admit I was hesitant about reading Thucydides because I'm not a big fan of non-fiction or a serious military history buff, and more specifically, was never that interested in ancient Greek history.

However, after I happened to watch the movie 300 (I know, that movie is basically all fantasy and action Hollywood style, but it was still good!) I became instantly fascinated by the history behind the movie and started buying books on the ancient Greeks to learn more.

Prior to investing the money into purchasing this version of the History of the Peloponnesian War, I borrowed a different version at the library that didn't include maps or appendices to explain about ancient Greek society and life. That was a wrong move for a novice! It is imperative that you read Thucydides with lots of maps of ancient Greece so you can follow the narrative of battles taking place around Attica, Peloponnese, and surrounding islands. It is easier to understand what is going on if you have good maps. The Landmark Thucydides was very helpful in that regard. There are enough maps scattered throughout the book, in addition, with side margins and footnotes that I felt were very helpful for the beginner. The book is quite hefty so you'll have a hard time lugging it around, but all you really need is a quiet spot to settle down and read.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book didn't really read as a "history book". It had a story-like quality and feel to the narrative that I enjoyed immensely and I found myself quickly enthralled. At times I had to stop and remember that this author has been dead and gone for over 2,000 years. Thucydides' words literally came alive from the pages, and it was eerie how many things he observed so long ago still hold true today.

I have only read this translation (Crawley), and although it isn't written in a direct style of English, I found it was surprisingly easy to read. It took me a few pages to become accustomed to it, but I became so engrossed in Thucydide's narrative that it wasn't really an issue for me. I would recommend reading this book slowly, it's not meant to be read quickly, but to savor and ponder over what you have just read.

If you've ever had a passing interest in ancient Greek history, in particular ancient military battles, Thucydides would be a good starting point. ( )

The Peloponnesian War (431- 404 BC) was a civil war of unprecedented savagery which engulfed nearly the entire Greek world. Thucydides tells us that he foresaw that war between Athens and Sparta would be terrible and "more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it." Accordingly he wrote his history of the conflict "as an aid to the understanding of the future, which in the course of human beings must resemble it if not reflect it." and "not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time."

Not least among the work's themes is leadership. Thucydides saw the tragedy that befell Athens due in no small part to the ascendancy of demagogic leaders following the death of Pericles, who "led [the multitude] instead of being led by them; for as he [Pericles] never sought power by improper means, he was never compelled to flatter them..With his successors it was different. More on a level with one another, and each grasping for supremacy, they ended by committing even the conduct of state affairs to the whims of the multitude."

The Landmark Thucydides, first published in 1996, is an extraordinary work of scholarship. The editor, Robert Strassler, conceived the work when he noticed that many of his students who enjoyed Homer and Herodotus became hopelessly lost in Thucydides. What was needed was a reader-friendly edition. The Landmark Thucydides magnificently fulfills this need with specially commissioned maps, explanatory marginal notes, appendices on subjects of special relevance to the text, and a comprehensive index. The work is introduced by the renowned classics scholar Victor Davis Hanson. Described by one reviewer as "the finest edition of Thucydides' history ever produced," The Landmark Thucydides is an ideal introduction and guide to the greatest historian of the ancient world.

Published in Regent University Library Link, September 2005 (http://www.regent.edu/lib/news-archiv...) ( )

Assuming that the person reading this review owns or is interested in the actual edition that is shown in the picture on the left side of the screen, then I recommend
reading this book.

I have read a few editions of Thucydides Peloponnesian War, and this one is the best. Thucydides accounts in great detail the names of cities, battles and geography, all of which are completely foreign to the average reader. Think about describing the suburbs of Portland to a person living on the other side of the world, and that’s about how confusing this book can be. But luckily this edition has some beautiful maps and pictures that really illustrate the situation. It is a tremendous help in trying to understand military strategy and geographical significance. (I can’t tell you how many times I wondered what the hell the “long walls” were – this edition actually showed me a diagram of them and put them in relation to the overall geography of the Hellenes.)

I can’t offer any insights on the translations though, since my understanding of Greek begins and ends with the names of college fraternities.

As to whether or not a person should read Thucydides, I really suggest that you have an initial interest in Greek philosophy or Political Theory before trudging through the abstract philosophy of the ancients. It shouldn’t be done lightly, as even interested minds can get bored, nor should it be done as some kind of achievement. It truly just isn’t worth it. It’s not a bad read if you understand it like one might a history text -- that it’s talking about how some of the thoughts and scenarios we currently discuss were first established, as well as the novelty of knowing about the events leading up to and during the Peloponnesian War -- but as to any kind of significance the book might have in the modern world, I feel it simply is obsolete. One would do better to pick up Machiavelli’s The Prince, which is a more direct account of virtually the same philosophy. ( )

The best guide to the Peloponnesian war, period. ( )