The classical scholar takes a new look at the war between Athens and Sparta, examining the conflict that devastated Ancient Greece in the fifth century B.C.E.

"Pericles (Greek:????????, Periklēs, "surrounded by glory"; c. 495? 429 BC) was the most prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator, and general of Athens during the Golden Age?specifically, the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars."--Wikipedia.

"The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta ... The Spartan strategy during the first war, known as the Archidamian War (431-421 BC) after Sparta's king Archidamus II, was to invade the land surrounding Athens. While this invasion deprived Athenians of the productive land around their city, Athens itself was able to maintain access to the sea, and did not...

"Beginning his analysis with the Athenians' first formal contact with the Persians in 507 B.C., [Peter] Krentz weaves together ancient evidence with travelers' descriptions, archaeological discoveries, geological surveys, and the experiences of modern reenactors and soldiers to tell his story. Krentz argues that before Marathon the Athenian army fought in a much less organized way than the standard view of the hoplite phalanx suggests: as an irregularly...