Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Krieges

Thukydides is the founder of political historiography. He was about 30 years old when the Peloponnesian War broke out in 431 BC, the decades-long power struggle between Athens and Sparta, at the end of which Athens - and with it democracy - was defeated by the Spartan monarchy. Thukydides had found his life's work here. But before he became a chronicler of the battles between the two blocs, he himself took part in them. In 425/4 BC he held the high military office of strategist until a failure led to his banishment. He then lived in exile for 20 years and only returned to Athens after the end of the war.