Cover of History of the Peloponnesian War

Book · 1526 · Greek Inscriptions

History of the Peloponnesian War

by Thucydides · Brought up by 3 people on 3 podcasts

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides has been mentioned in 5 episodes across 3 podcasts (3 episodes recommend it and 2 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Ryan Holiday (3 episodes), Hussein Agha (1 episode) and Graham Allison (1 episode) on The Daily Stoic (3 episodes), a16z Podcast (1 episode) and The Ezra Klein Show (1 episode).

episodes
5
podcasts
3
people
3
episodes recommend it
3

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My wife and I and a bunch of our friends right now are reading Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War.
Ryan Holiday · The Daily Stoic · Sep 2026

Questions about History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides

Who recommends History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides on podcasts?

Ryan Holiday (2 episodes) and Hussein Agha (1 episode) have recommended History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides on podcasts. In all, 3 people brought it up across 3 podcasts (2 people recommended it).

Which podcasts mention History of the Peloponnesian War the most?

The Daily Stoic (3 episodes), a16z Podcast (1 episode) and The Ezra Klein Show (1 episode).

Is History of the Peloponnesian War recommended, or only discussed?

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides was recommended in 2 episodes, picked for a book club in 1 episode, and discussed without a recommendation in 2 episodes, as of 2026-11-09.

What do people say about History of the Peloponnesian War?

Ryan Holiday on The Daily Stoic (2026-09-22): "My wife and I and a bunch of our friends right now are reading Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War."

When was History of the Peloponnesian War last mentioned on a podcast?

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides was last picked for a book club on The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday on 2026-11-09.

The best things said about it

1 of 5 · every mention
Discussed
Thucydides was a chronicler of the great conflict between Athens and Sparta in classical Greece. He wrote a spectacular book called History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides captured uh in this book an insight uh which is essentially as old as recorded history itself.
Graham Allison a16z Podcast · Aug 2017

Where and when it comes up

Most episodes, by podcast

3 shows

Why people recommend it

History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides is an ancient Greek historical text chronicling the protracted conflict between Athens and Sparta. Ryan Holiday discussed reading this classical work alongside his wife and friends on The Daily Stoic, emphasizing the enduring value of engaging with timeless historical texts. On the same show, Holiday noted during a book club conversation that Pericles used the resource disparity with Sparta to rally Athenians, and he previously mentioned the text as a dense work requiring preliminary reading to fully grasp modern geopolitical rivalries like those between the United States and China. Hussein Agha recommended a rereading of the classic on The Ezra Klein Show, asserting that the ancient author's insights accurately explain many contemporary political and military processes. Furthermore, Graham Allison introduced Thucydides on the a16z Podcast as a masterful chronicler whose observations of classical Greece captured foundational insights that remain as old as recorded history itself, directly inspiring modern strategic concepts like the Thucydides Trap. Through these discussions, podcasters and guests continually return to the ancient text to illuminate modern power dynamics, strategic empathy, and the cyclical nature of human conflict across generations.

Every mention

5 quotes from 5 episodes · 1 passing or ad reads below
Ryan Holiday My wife and I and a bunch of our friends right now are reading Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War. 3
Book club
“And I'm just now I'm rereading Thucydides, we're reading for a book club, we're reading history, the Peloponnesian War. And one of the arguments I think it's Paracles makes at the beginning is like, well, we have all these golds at Delphi that that Sparta doesn't.”
Recommended
“My wife and I and a bunch of our friends right now are reading Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War.”
Discussed
“i find this particularly true for like philosophy or if i'm trying to read some like greek play or like let's say someone you know hears that you know history of the peloponnesian war might help you understand the the the jostling between the united states and china”
Hussein Agha So therefore I'm going to suggest a rereading of tusidits the pelponyian wars that explain to you really ve… 1
Recommended
“So therefore I'm going to suggest a rereading of tusidits the pelponyian wars that explain to you really very accurately very much of the processes that are taking place now.”
Graham Allison Thucydides was a chronicler of the great conflict between Athens and Sparta in classical Greece. He wrote a… 1
Discussed
“Thucydides was a chronicler of the great conflict between Athens and Sparta in classical Greece. He wrote a spectacular book called History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides captured uh in this book an insight uh which is essentially as old as recorded history itself.”
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
Passing
“Okay, he's claimed by the gay community in some books I've read. Right, but he never procreated.”

Portraits from Wikimedia Commons: Ryan Holiday, Luiz Berengue / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).