“This coalition, after repulsing the barbarian, soon afterwards split into two sections…At the head of one stood Athens, at the head of the other Sparta, one the first naval, the other the first military power of Hellas. For a short time the league held together, till the Spartans and the Athenians quarreled, and made war upon each other with their allies, a duel into which all the Hellenes sooner or later were drawn, though some might at first remain neutral. So that the whole period from the Median War to this, with some peaceful intervals, was spent by each power in war, either with its rival, or with its own revolted allies, and consequently afforded them constant practice in military matters, and that experience which is learnt in the school of danger.” - Thucydides [1.18.2-3]
Note: All citations are from The Landmark Thucydides, which uses a revised version of Richard Crawley’s 1874 translation. A near identical text can be found online on Tufts University’s Perseus website.
Earl…
