The History of the Peloponnesian War Chapter 1

In which the history of Greece from ancient times until the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War is examined, revealing a land fragmented by migrations, piracy, and continual local strife, where no great national unity or durable power had hitherto established itself. It is shown how coastal cities grew through commerce and naval strength, how tyrannies rose and fell, and how the rising conflict between Athens and Lacedaemon set the stage for a war of unprecedented scale and consequence for Hellas.