An introduction to a war that resonates with contemporary events like few other episodes in ancient history Though a democracy, Athens warred with its neighbours for decades in a doomed bid to secure its Aegean and Mediterranean empire. The ambitious city-state's eventual reward was defeat and tyrannical rule, effectively ending Athens's 'Golden Age'. This was the time of Socrates, Plato, Aristophanes, Pericles and Thucydides, figures whose works and musings on war and its effects are widely read to this day. Designed as an accessible introduction to this important event, The Peloponnesian War offers readers and researchers an appealing mix of descriptive chapters, biographical sketches, and annotated primary documents. An overview of the war is presented, followed by a presentation of Thucydides' account of the war's causes. A look at the intertwined relations of democracy and empire is offered, as are chapters on how the war was represented in plays, statuary, and pottery. The ethics of war are investigated through the life, teachings, and eventual death of Socrates. A chapter is devoted to women, who most often suffer the harmful consequences of war. A glossary of terms is included, as are an annotated timeline, maps, useful illustrations, an annotated bibliography, and index. Part of the Greenwood Guides to Historic Events of the Ancient World series Shows how the issues behind the war hold resonances for the modern world, such as the relationship between democracy and empire Thematic chapters, annotated primary documents, and biographical sketches make the events accessible