It's going to hear with another episode of the History Unplug podcast.

The Peloponnesian Wars considered one of the most famous wars of the ancient world,

not only because it was a devastating conflict that reshaped the Greek world,

but because of its thorough documentation by the historian Thucydides, who transformed how we understand history in war. But it's also

strange that out of all the wars, this is the one when we remember, when there's a lot of good

reasons that we shouldn't. The Pelopithnesia War was fought over 2,000 years ago in a corner of the

Mediterranean that was long, lasted 27 years and was brutal, but the two major parties, Athens

and Sparta, were irrelevant within a century

of the war's conclusion. They were easily swept up by Rome when it expanded, and by the time of

the height of Rome's imperial power, Sparta was basically a dude ranch, where citizens would

play act how their soldiers used to fight for the amusement of Roman tourists. But despite all this,

it was the Peloponnesian

war which would be remembered for centuries. Because of the work of Thucydides, who is an Athenian

war general and historian, it's an essential reading for politicians, historians, and students.

And even today in the 21st century, it can help explain what can happen when things go wrong

in a multipolar world.

Today's guest is Polly Lowe, who authored part of a new translation of the history of the Paloponnesian War. It depicts the events of the war between Athens and Sparta that began

in 431 BC and would continue until 404. The conflict embroiled mainland Greece, but also

Greek states from the eastern Mediterranean, and as far west as Italy and Sicily.

We look at what the war meant, the world of Thucydides, how messy political alliances can drag people

into war that they never intended to fight, but what it all means for today.

Hope we enjoyed this discussion with Polly Lo.

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