Donald Kagan

For three decades in the fifth century b.c. the ancient world was torn apart bya conflict that was as dramatic, divisive, and destructive as the world wars of the twentieth century: The Peloponnesian War. Donald Kagan, one of the worldrsquo;s most respected classical, political, and military historians, here 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. With a lively, readable narrative that conveys a richly detailed portrait of a vanished world while honoring its timeless relevance. The Peloponnesian War is a chronicle of the rise and fall of a great empire and of a dark time whose lessons still resonate today. One of the world's foremost historians presents a fresh look at the greatest war of ancient Greece and a pivotal moment in Western civilization that still resonates today.

Among the historical questions that have been posed through the ages, none has attracted more attention over a longer period of time than the one that asks, Why did the Roman Empire in the West collapse? The selections in part 1 attempt to define the problem. Part 2 offers a selection of some of the explanations given for Rome's decay and collapse. The theme of part 3 is that the Roman Empire never fell at all, but metamorphosed into something else. - Introduction.