In one of the first works of scholarly history, Thucydides chronicles the disastrous 27-year conflict between Athens and Sparta that occurred in the fifth century B.C. Although he served as an Athenian general, the author presents a scrupulously impartial account, setting the standard for later historians. He traces the conflict's roots, provides detailed, knowledgeable analyses of battles and the political atmosphere, and recounts enduring tales of heroism, villainy, courage, and desperation.