Thucydides and Neorealism

Abstract

The Peloponnesian War has long been viewed as an early exemplar of realist thinking in international politics. More recently, neorealist authors have claimed that Thucydides' history offers timeless insights into the importance of global anarchy in shaping interstate relations, and that these insights anticipate neorealist arguments on order and change in world politics. This article criticizes the neorealist appropriation of The Peloponnesian War. It presents an alternative reading of Thucydides' history. In this reading, the enduring contribution of The Peloponnesian War lies in the insights into power and hegemony embedded in the speeches and debates that interrupt its narrative. This analysis is then used to criticize neorealist understandings of political power and hegemony.