Greek writers
Thucydides
Thucydides was a Greek writer, historian and politician. He was born around 460 BC and died around 390 BC (Athens).
Thúkydidés is considered the founder of historical monographs limited in time to contemporary history. He is the author of the important work History of the Peloponnesian War.
Not much is known about his life. His father was Oloros, he was to study under Anaxagoras, and his writings were influenced by the Sophists. His work was most influenced by the Athenian milieu, where the emphasis at the time was on the problems of man and his place in nature and society. Other themes were morality, law and power.
Thucydides was a very wealthy man who also owned gold mines on the Thracian coast. He was one of the 10 starateges. However, when Brásidas attacked the city of Amphipolis, the commander of the defenders, Eucles, sent for help, which was to be Thúkydidês. But he didn't arrive until after the city had surrendered. For this, Thúkydidês was sent into exile for 28 years. Through this, he got to know life outside of Athens, and this actually helped him to write more accurately the History of the Peloponnesian War.
He is considered the founder of the political school of realism, which measures states by power. His writings are studied in schools that focus on international relations. The primary focus here is on the Melian Dialogue (from A History of the Peloponnesian War).
He was one of the first archaeologists to collect material sources from graves and archaeological finds as a historian.