The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan Summary

Donald Kagan’s The Peloponnesian War examines the devastating 5th-century BCE conflict between Athens and Sparta, tracing its origins, key battles, and political miscalculations. The book highlights how shifting alliances, leadership failures, and societal upheaval led to the collapse of Athenian democracy and Sparta’s Pyrrhic victory. Kagan emphasizes timeless lessons about hubris, strategy, and the fragility of civilization.

This book is ideal for history enthusiasts, students of classical antiquity, and readers interested in military strategy or political diplomacy. Kagan’s accessible narrative caters to both general audiences and academics, offering insights into ancient warfare’s parallels with modern conflicts.

Yes. Praised as “the best account now available” (Los Angeles Times), Kagan’s work combines rigorous scholarship with engaging storytelling. It provides a nuanced analysis of the war’s causes, pivotal moments like the Sicilian Expedition, and its enduring relevance to geopolitical struggles.

Kagan attributes the war to Sparta’s fear of Athens’ growing power, exacerbated by trade disputes and political rivalries. He critiques Thucydides’ emphasis on “inevitable” tensions, arguing that poor diplomacy and unchecked ambition escalated hostilities.

While relying on Thucydides, Kagan challenges his deterministic view, suggesting key decisions—like Athens’ Sicilian campaign—were avoidable missteps. He also questions Thucydides’ reliance on Alcibiades, an Athenian traitor, as a source.

Kagan illustrates how leaders like Pericles and Nicias shaped outcomes through strategic vision or indecision. The book warns against overconfidence, as seen in Athens’ Sicilian disaster, and highlights the dangers of factionalism in democracies.

Athens’ decline stemmed from plague, leadership vacuums after Pericles’ death, and imperial overreach. Kagan argues that internal political strife and the costly Sicilian Expedition (415–413 BCE) crippled its resources and morale.

The Sicilian Expedition (415–413 BCE) marked Athens’ catastrophic attempt to expand its empire, losing 200 ships and 50,000 men. Kagan frames it as a turning point, exposing Athenian arrogance and strategic blunders by general Nicias.

Some scholars argue Kagan overemphasizes military tactics at the expense of social history. Others note his focus on Athenian perspectives and sparse coverage of Sparta’s post-war decline.

Kagan’s single-volume work is more accessible than Thucydides’ dense chronicle, offering clearer maps and thematic analysis. It avoids romanticizing either side, unlike Victor Davis Hanson’s works, while providing a brisk narrative.

The book underscores enduring themes: democracies grappling with crisis, the risks of imperial overextension, and how fear drives conflicts. Kagan’s analysis resonates in modern geopolitics, from Cold War brinkmanship to 21st-century power shifts.

• “The Peloponnesian War was a tragedy of errors”: Kagan highlights preventable decisions that spiraled into catastrophe.
• “Athens’ defeat was self-inflicted”: A critique of its leaders’ failure to adapt after Pericles.

He details how prolonged conflict eroded moral norms, sparked class warfare, and desecrated religious sites. Both sides abandoned earlier ideals, leaving Greece vulnerable to Persian and Macedonian conquest.