I am Not Alone

I was pleasantly surprised to see attention on a new book about the Peloponesian War. It is "A War Like No Other" by Victor Hanson. I am continuing re-reading a translation of Thucydides book “The Peloponnesian War” about the 27 year war between Athens and Sparta back in the fifth century B.C. This is the original book about the Peloponesian War, written by a witness and participant 2400 years ago.

It is proper that there should be renewed interest in this period. For one thing, it is fascinating. But besides that, it is very relevant. How could 2400 year old history be relevant today? Consider this. Today’s national political situation is that of a more or less democratic republic, a government that to some extent responds to popular opinion. Furthermore, there are many other political states out there interacting with us. And a good number of them, at least the most important ones, are also more or less democratic republics, or some semblance of such.

Now as they say, we need to learn from history. But when have these conditions been the norm in the past? Well, it’s been like this for the past 50 years, less so for the 50 years before that, even less before that, and nonexistent before that, for a long time. The last time such conditions were even close before the modern era was during the period of Roman expansion. And then, monarchies and dictators and such were a bigger component than today, more like earlier in the early 20th century and just before. The last time conditions like today were really common was the fifth century BC and perhaps a bit afterwards, eventually merging into the Roman period.

This was the Age of Pericles, Aristophanes, Socrates, Sophocles, Plato, and the like, and the age of the Peloponesian War. These were not a bunch of ignorant primitive or backward people. Thucydides puts speeches in the mouths of many of his characters explaining their reasons, trying to sway people to their point of view. And their logic is pretty modern. Except that they fought with pointed sticks and long knives and ships that rammed each other, they were much like us.