Skip to main content

Modules

Thucydides and the Idea of History (CLA3045)

30 credits

Thucydides was one of the first to write what we now call ‘history’; his work has in many ways defined the genre – not least because he aimed to establish his approach to understanding the past as a template for future generations. This module will explore different aspects of Thucydides’ historiography, from its methodological and critical principles to its narrative structure and rhetorical techniques, and consider how these have influenced modern conceptions. Thucydides has regularly been put forward as a model for contemporary historians and social scientists – but the way his work is understood has changed significantly over time.