History Commons^™

Thucydides On Strength And Justice In The Melian And Mytilenian Debates, Molly Wancewicz

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

Thucydides’History of the Peloponnesian War provides incisive historical analysis of the 5th-century BC clash between the Athenian and Spartan alliances. Through his depiction of the Mytilenian debate and the Melian dialogue, Thucydides analyzes prioritization of self-interest, and more specifically, the idea that might makes right. Thucydides’ discussion of these topics indicates that he largely disagrees with the positions taken by the Athenians in these debates.