Thucydides was probably born at the start of the 450s B.C., his birthplace being the deme of Halimus. He belonged to the Philaid family, one of the most prominent in Athens and part of the conservative bloc. For all Thucydides' admiration of Pericles, we should be cautious about the view that he was of a conservative cast. His critique of political practice and social misfortunes derived from the particular conditions of his time, as they were shaped during and by the Peloponnesian War - the most important conflict, as Thucydides himself put it, in the Hellenic world. There were other writers of the time who shared in his critical views - Euripides, to name but one.

His family had property in Thrace, in the gold-mining area. It was here that he took refuge when banished by the Athenians for failing, as admiral in the region, to effectively assist the town of Amphipolis when it was attacked by Brasidas (in 424 B.C.). We do not know whether this was the real reason, or whether there were political motives, with his enemies seizing on his failure at Amphipolis. When the war ended he returned to Athens. When and where he died are not known precisely: the date of his death is calculated between 404 and 399. The years in which Thucydides lived were ones of intense phenomena in all domains. The figure of Pericles dominated politics: under his leadership the democratic constitution was broadened in favour of the lower classes. In intellectual life the Sophist movement came to the fore, influencing the whole of intellectual activity. Elements of Sophist teaching govern Thucydides' work, his History.

He differs from Herodotus, in principle, on three basic points. First, he dealt exclusively with the history of his own particular homeland. Second, under the influence of the rhetorical and Sophistic methods, he wrote contemporary history. Third, while writing, he was actively engaged in the politics of his time. The main difference between the two is Thucydides' methodology for examining events. He rules out all metaphysical explanations, uses dialectic, sorts out cause from point of origin, draws conclusions from his reasoning, and expresses a viewpoint. The technique of quoting harangues not only enlivens his work, but gives the historian the chance to display the thoughts and psychology of people actively engaged in politics.

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