Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Ancient Greek historian: Thucydides is the name of a specific ancient Greek historian, known as the author of a seminal historical work.
   • Author of History of the Peloponnesian War: He is primarily remembered for his detailed, contemporary account of the war between Athens and Sparta in the 5th century BC.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Thucydides is often called the father of scientific history.
  • We studied excerpts from Thucydides in our ancient history class.
  • The methods of Thucydides influenced later historians.

Advanced Usage

• "Thucydidean" (adjective): Pertaining to Thucydides or his methods of historical analysis, characterized by rigorous standards of evidence and a focus on political and military causality.
  • The historian employed a Thucydidean approach to analyzing the conflict.
• "Thucydides Trap": A modern political theory and term, derived from his analysis, referring to the heightened risk of conflict when a rising power challenges an established one.
  • The concept of the Thucydides Trap is frequently discussed in international relations.

Variants and Related Words

• Thucydidean (adj): Of or relating to Thucydides or his historical methodology.
• History of the Peloponnesian War (n): The title of Thucydides' major work.

Synonyms

• Historian: A writer of history (this is the general category, not a direct synonym for the proper name).
• Chronicler: A person who records historical events in chronological order.

Notes on Meaning

• As a Proper Noun: The word "Thucydides" refers exclusively to this one individual. It does not have multiple common meanings.
• Legacy: His name is synonymous with a particular style of historical writing that emphasizes eyewitness testimony, factual accuracy, and the analysis of human nature and political power as drivers of events.

Noun

1. ancient Greek historian remembered for his history of the Peloponnesian War (460-395 BC)