Thucydides' classic work is a foundational text in the history of Western political thought. His narrative of the great war between Athens and Sparta in the fifth century BC is now seen as a highly sophisticated study of the nature of political power itself: its exercise and effects, its agents and victims, and the arguments through which it is defended and deployed. It is therefore increasingly read as a text in politics, international relations and political theory, whose students will find in Thucydides many striking contemporary resonances. This edition seeks to present the author and the text in their proper historical context. The new translation is particularly sensitive to the risks of anachronism, and the notes and extensive reference material provide students with all the necessary historical, cultural and linguistic background they need to engage with the text on its own terms.

Winner, New Republic Best Book of 2013

'Altogether, this edition in a crowded field offers many unique annotations complementing its fresh and accurate translation.'

Donald Lateiner Source: Ancient History Bulletin

'… an extremely useful edition for its re-situation of Thucydides in his own context, especially for the large numbers of readers of Thucydides in disciplines outside the classics. It is no small achievement to convey in modern English the literary qualities of this most political of ancient historians.'

Liz Sawyer Source: Oxonian Review

'…a fine addition to the Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought series … its excellent footnotes will make it a worthy [addition] to any reading list.'

Benjamin Earley Source: The Classical Review