A chronicle of the rise and fall of a great empire, and an examination of the dark times that still resonate today

For three decades in the fifth century b.c., the ancient world was torn apart by a conflict that was as dramatic, divisive, and destructive as the world wars of the twentieth century: the Peloponnesian War. Donald Kagan, one of the world’s most respected classical, political, and military historians, presents a new account of this vicious war of Greek against Greek, Athenian against Spartan.

The Peloponnesian War is a magisterial work of history written for general readers, offering a fresh examination of a pivotal moment in Western civilization. This lively, readable narrative conveys a richly detailed portrait of a vanished world while honoring its timeless relevance.