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I confess that I have always liked the fact that ancient authors seem to accept Realpolitik without too much hypocrisy. "The Strong Do What They Can and the Weak Suffer What They Must..." 

There is much in this that would set the teeth of the historian on edge, I think.  Alison's catchy "Thucydides Trap" is the product of a political scientist's imagination, not a careful reading of Thucydides and what else we know of the context of the war.  The interesting thing about the Athenian defeat at Aegospotami is that the Spartan fleet (paid for by the Persians) there destroyed an Athenian fleet that had been paid for by the Persians to beat up an earlier Spartan fleet - again paid for by the Persians - that had become threatening to Persian interests!  Thinking that the war is a simple struggle between Athens, Sparta and their respective allies and ignoring the influence of the major power in the region can lead to ideas about what was going on that don't add up.

Thanks Dave I have bookmarked that site. It look like a lot of other good articles available there.

https://greekreporter.com/2024/05/10/greek-philosopher-xenophon-economics-theory/

There are many strings to this bow apparently....

https://greekcitytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/greekcitytimes.com/2024/05/10/researchers-genetic-similarities-greeks-2/amp/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17154986396268&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fgreekcitytimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F10%2Fresearchers-genetic-similarities-greeks-2%2F

Of interest hopefully...

https://www.thecollector.com/melian-dialogue-thucydides/

One for the Graecophiles.

Ps Thucydides is one of my favourite ancient writers

https://www.medievalists.net/2024/05/new-medieval-literature-online-course-starts-next-week/

Hopefully of interest....

It is to me btw

At home here then....

One might even say prehistoric...

 

Quote from: Erpingham on May 11, 2024, 10:26:39 AMInteresting that the people of Miami consider 18th century Poland as medieval.

That was a mistake.  It is, of course, ancient in their view.