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Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War is considered in history and political science as a text of fundamental disciplinary relevance. However, neither discipline takes the other discipline into account during debates about Thucydides. Following Thucydides and Political Order: Concepts of Order and the History of the Peloponnesian War, this collection features scholarly work that asks what political order Thucydides envisioned, against which he might have judged the events he described. The contributors explore the role that Thucydides plays as a model theorist or representative of an ideal political order in philosophical traditions and schools of thought.
Review of Thauer/Wendt (edd.), Thucydides and Political Order
Oliver Schelske, Assistant Professor in Ancient History, University of Tübingen
This volume consists of various contributions to the reception (and therefore relevance) of Thucydides, arguing from different perspectives, i.e. different academic traditions (mainly political science and historiography). It is thus rather heterogeneous in terms of methodology and intended outcome(s). However, at the same time it represents a very promising attempt to advance studies of the Athenian historiographer, since the editors manage to (re-)assemble those scholars who are of great influence to the current discourse about possible (contemporary) readings of Thucydides. Furthermore, it is highly welcome that the volume in hand - like its predecessor edited by Ned Lebow and Barry Strauss in the early 90s ("Thucydides and the Nuclear War') - has its focus on an aspect of central prominence for contemporary discussions in the field of political science, historiography, and International Relations (IR) as well: that of political order (Intr., p.4f.). Since today international politics and forms of political (or constitutional) regime are developing rather heterogeneously, with former constellations of (international) political cooperation rearranging themselves anew (or developing their respective relationship), the aspect of political order is obviously of great impact not only in terms of practical (or political) relevance, but also concerning the study of Thucydides itself, combining it with contemporary general discussions about 'order' (e.g. in the field of ethnology or anthropology). Even if this is not mentioned explicitly, this could be one of the major (side-)effects of the volume in hand, since it seems to be relevant to non-historians and non-political scientists as well (being a 'common research agenda for future scholarly work on Thukcydides', cf. p. 5). Thus, scholarly as well as private interest of readers into the topic of this volume may well be expected.
Since the editors give a rather full account (and abstracts) of the various contributions to the volume in their introduction, it seems to be not necessary to reproduce such an account here. Besides a summary of contributions included in the volume, the introduction offers also something like a framework that holds the whole volume together. The editors (Thauer and Wendt) provide the reader with a sketch of scholarly work done in the field of studies on Thucydides (reviewing both political as well as historiographical works) by evaluating the results reached so far, addressing problematic developments, and specifying new perspectives (p. 2-4). According to the editors the aspect of political order will be some sort of a "new Thucydidean question' that ought to be of great impact onto any future study of Thucydides. Such an estimation is both charming and reasonable. What deserves to be highlighted here is also a certain trend in recent studies on Thucydides (which is obviously also felt as a kind of obligation) towards a new sensitivity for the complex character of an ancient text, which should not be read only partially (ab-)using it for own purposes (p.3). Needless to say in this context that is would be desirable for the Classics (with its specific tradition to regard literary conventions etc. as well) to play a greater role in future studies of the reception of Thucydides (cf. Thauer/Wendt, p. 3; Morley, p. 25.28).
The contribution of Neville Morley (which is one of the four chapters under review here) is especially useful, since it provides the reader with a very well written and clearly structured categorization of the vast bulk of former readings of and theoretical attempts to Thucydides. Its position within the volume as the first contribution after the introduction thus seems very helpful. Morley systematizes various approaches and methods in the respective fields of political science, historiography,
Oliver Schelske, Assistant Professor in Ancient History, University of Tübingen
This volume consists of various contributions to the reception (and therefore relevance) of Thucydides, arguing from different perspectives, i.e. different academic traditions (mainly political science and historiography). It is thus rather heterogeneous in terms of methodology and intended outcome(s). However, at the same time it represents a very promising attempt to advance studies of the Athenian historiographer, since the editors manage to (re-)assemble those scholars who are of great influence to the current discourse about possible (contemporary) readings of Thucydides. Furthermore, it is highly welcome that the volume in hand - like its predecessor edited by Ned Lebow and Barry Strauss in the early 90s ("Thucydides and the Nuclear War') - has its focus on an aspect of central prominence for contemporary discussions in the field of political science, historiography, and International Relations (IR) as well: that of political order (Intr., p.4f.). Since today international politics and forms of political (or constitutional) regime are developing rather heterogeneously, with former constellations of (international) political cooperation rearranging themselves anew (or developing their respective relationship), the aspect of political order is obviously of great impact not only in terms of practical (or political) relevance, but also concerning the study of Thucydides itself, combining it with contemporary general discussions about 'order' (e.g. in the field of ethnology or anthropology). Even if this is not mentioned explicitly, this could be one of the major (side-)effects of the volume in hand, since it seems to be relevant to non-historians and non-political scientists as well (being a 'common research agenda for future scholarly work on Thukcydides', cf. p. 5). Thus, scholarly as well as private interest of readers into the topic of this volume may well be expected.
Since the editors give a rather full account (and abstracts) of the various contributions to the volume in their introduction, it seems to be not necessary to reproduce such an account here. Besides a summary of contributions included in the volume, the introduction offers also something like a framework that holds the whole volume together. The editors (Thauer and Wendt) provide the reader with a sketch of scholarly work done in the field of studies on Thucydides (reviewing both political as well as historiographical works) by evaluating the results reached so far, addressing problematic developments, and specifying new perspectives (p. 2-4). According to the editors the aspect of political order will be some sort of a "new Thucydidean question' that ought to be of great impact onto any future study of Thucydides. Such an estimation is both charming and reasonable. What deserves to be highlighted here is also a certain trend in recent studies on Thucydides (which is obviously also felt as a kind of obligation) towards a new sensitivity for the complex character of an ancient text, which should not be read only partially (ab-)using it for own purposes (p.3). Needless to say in this context that is would be desirable for the Classics (with its specific tradition to regard literary conventions etc. as well) to play a greater role in future studies of the reception of Thucydides (cf. Thauer/Wendt, p. 3; Morley, p. 25.28).
The contribution of Neville Morley (which is one of the four chapters under review here) is especially useful, since it provides the reader with a very well written and clearly structured categorization of the vast bulk of former readings of and theoretical attempts to Thucydides. Its position within the volume as the first contribution after the introduction thus seems very helpful. Morley systematizes various approaches and methods in the respective fields of political science, historiography,