Thucydides has 4 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 4 narrators, with an average listener rating of 4.2★ across 15 ratings. The most-rated is The Peloponnesian War.
The Peloponnesian War
Summary
Historians universally agree that Thucydides was the greatest historian who has ever lived, and that his story of the Peloponnesian conflict is a marvel of forensic science and fine literature. That such a triumph of intellectual accomplishment was created at the end of the fifth century B.C. in Greece is, perhaps, not so surprising, given the number of original geniuses we find in that period. But that such an historical work would also be simultaneously acknowledged as a work of great literature and a penetrating ethical evaluation of humanity is one of the miracles of ancient history. For in the pages of Thucydides we find examples of every ethical and political problem ever faced by democratic governments in the last 2,400 years. And it was all organized and written with a breathtaking skill and dramatic intensity which have never been equalled. Thucydides was an Athenian noble born around 455 B.C. whose antecedents could be traced back to the great Peisitratus and Cimon. In 424 B.C., Thucydides was in command of naval forces attempting to defend Amphipolis in Thrace. Although unsuccessful through no fault of his own, his enemies in Athens blamed him for failure and engineered his exile. It was a fortunate event, for it was upon this accident of history that Thucydides gained the opportunity to become the chronicler of events in Greece. In complete contrast to the furious passions which raged around him, he described events with a cool detachment and an absolute impartiality that is little short of miraculous. He is believed to have died violently, perhaps while writing, in about 400 B.C. His manuscript simply breaks off in mid paragraph. The Peloponnesian War is organized into eight parts (“books”). This recording uses the highly esteemed translation of Benjamin Jowett. There are several essays preceding and following the work.
Public Domain (P)2012 Audio Connoisseur
How to Think About War
Summary
Why do nations go to war? What are citizens willing to die for? What justifies foreign invasion? And does might always make right? For nearly 2,500 years, students, politicians, political thinkers, and military leaders have read the eloquent and shrewd speeches in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War for profound insights into military conflict, diplomacy, and the behavior of people and countries in times of crisis. How to Think about War presents the most influential and compelling of these speeches in an elegant new translation by classicist Johanna Hanink, accompanied by an enlightening introduction. Thucydides intended his account of the clash between classical Greece's mightiest powers - Athens and Sparta - to be a "possession for all time". Today, it remains a foundational work for the study not only of ancient history, but also contemporary politics and international relations. How to Think about War features speeches that have earned the history its celebrated status - all of those delivered before the Athenian Assembly, as well as Pericles' funeral oration and the notoriously ruthless "Melian Dialogue". Organized by key debates, these complex speeches reveal the recklessness, cruelty, and realpolitik of Athenian war fighting and imperialism.
©2019 Johanna Hanink (P)2019 HighBridge Company
The Peloponnesian War
Summary
Compiled by Thucydides, an Athenian historian and general during the Peloponnesian War, The History of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) is considered to be one of the first scholarly historical works ever written. Divided into eight books, Thucydides chronicles the war between Athens and Sparta in a detached manner that gives the listener a factual look at not only the war but also the historical period. Thucydides had a passion for accuracy and disliked the idea of romanticizing matters of history, which makes his work perfect for those who want an authentic picture of the Peloponnesian War. The History of the Peloponnesian War includes information on the development of military technologies of the time as well as the Athenian empire and earth sciences. Unlike much of the literature that came out of ancient Greece, the gods are not a focus, though Thucydides does draw heavily from Greek myth.
Public Domain (P)2017 A.R.N. Publications
The History of the Peloponnesian War
Summary
The rivalry between two of the dominant city states of Ancient Greece, Athens and Sparta, erupted into a war lasting nearly 30 years and was to have a dramatic effect on the balance of power in the area. Between 431 and 404 BCE, the two cities battled it out on land and sea, aided by their alliances with neighbouring states: Athens’ Delian League vigorously opposed Sparta’s Peloponnesian League in a conflict which effectively involved the whole region. Thucydides, in his role as an Athenian general, saw the war from close quarters, and his famous account of it, The History of the Peloponnesian War, is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding early histories. He observes in considerable detail the way in which the fortunes of war swung one way and then another. Sparta was known for its vigorous martial training, expert especially in land battles and Athens, very much a centre of high culture and known for successful sea battles - the combination proved crucial in defeating the Persian invasion 50 years earlier. Thucydides explains what happened when these two proud states came to war. Conflict became inevitable when Sparta became increasingly concerned with the growing power and dominance of the Athenian empire in the region. This is essentially a military history - tactics and armoury are much in evidence - though it is replete with other important details including portraits and speeches of key figures such as Pericles (the funeral oration given to mark the dead in the first year of the war) and the controversial Athenian general Alcibiades. But Thucydides also describes the destructive effect of war on ordinary citizens, the atrocities committed by both sides, disease, the effect of rain and storms, the influence of power blocs, military overconfidence and political decisions made well behind the battle fronts which interfered with the progress and success of the war. He recounts the disastrous Sicilian Expedition where a strong Athenian force was virtually destroyed at Syracuse. Thucydides’ History, divided into eight books, ends abruptly in 410 BCE, six years before the conclusion of hostilities, suggesting his death. It is unlikely he ever saw the final defeat of Athens by Sparta in a naval battle, the destruction of the walls of Athens and the ultimate victory of the Peloponnesian League. Nevertheless, his History remains a vivid portrayal of a vicious and unrelenting war lasting nearly three decades between neighbouring rivals. Presented here in the classical translation by Benjamin Jowett, it is read with engaging immediacy by Mike Rogers.
Public Domain (P)2019 Ukemi Productions Ltd