Thucydides was himself a participant in the [[Peloponnesian War]], commanding an Athenian fleet in the northern Aegean in 424-423. He was exiled from [[Athens]] at the end of his term in office as punishment for failing to arrive in enough time to successfully prevent the capture of the major Athenian settlement at [[Amphipolis]] by the [[Sparta]]n general [[Brasidas]]. During his time in exile, he was able to travel extensively and observe the military and political developments in many of the theaters of war. His history is thus particularly notable for its vivid descriptions of ancient battle and detailed accounts of the political debates in his own democratic Athens. | Thucydides was himself a participant in the [[Peloponnesian War]], commanding an Athenian fleet in the northern Aegean in 424-423. He was exiled from [[Athens]] at the end of his term in office as punishment for failing to arrive in enough time to successfully prevent the capture of the major Athenian settlement at [[Amphipolis]] by the [[Sparta]]n general [[Brasidas]]. During his time in exile, he was able to travel extensively and observe the military and political developments in many of the theaters of war. His history is thus particularly notable for its vivid descriptions of ancient battle and detailed accounts of the political debates in his own democratic Athens. |