Thucydides As A War Correspondent and Philosopher in Classical Greece
by
Book Details
About the Book
This book tries to present another aspect of the Classical Greek historian Thucydides by studying the persona of the author of the History of the Peloponnesian War. E.J. Krigas attempts a review of Thucydides' multi-faceted character (ranging from military commander to analytical philosopher to war correspondent) based on the accounts given in the magnificent History, which Thucydides himself called a 'timeless gift" for the forthcoming generations (ktema es aiei). The author examines focal points from Thucydides' description of battles, the comments and feelings expressed and the outcome and sees Thucydides under the prism of the modern war correspondent, who at the same time, expresses ideas of a thinking man, as he meticulously explains and sets out the facts leading to a major military event and how these things may some time happen again in the future, based always in the experience of the past. As such, the History of the Peloponnesian War, already in parallel with many modern military confrontations, remains a timeless guide for future reference to all those who "would like to see deep into the truth of the events that happened in the past and those that will happen in the future"...
About the Author
E.J.KRIGAS was born in Greece and educated in the Universities of Athens and Cambridge. He holds a B.A in Archaeology and Classics and a PhD.in Prehistoric Archaeology having specialised in the linguistics of (Mycenaean) Linear B. Trained as a teacher, he has been teaching English abroad for 15 years, speaks German and Greek and has been a freelance translator. He has published many articles in learned journals about subjects arising from his studies of the Linear B script. Among his publications, there is a book on the effect of Byzantine Architecture in Greek churches (Oriental and Oriental-like Basilica Churches of Greece). The present project stems from his life-long wish to write about the personality of the classical times historian Thucydides, as it was presented to him during his school years by his teachers.