Why is Thucydides called the father of scientific history?

Why is Thucydides called the father of scientific history?

Thucydides has been dubbed the father of “scientific history” by those who accept his claims to have applied strict standards of impartiality and evidence-gathering and analysis of cause and effect, without reference to intervention by the deities, as outlined in his introduction to his work.

How was Thucydides different from other historians?

Herodotus may have been the first Western historian, but Thucydides was the first modern one. He explained the causes of events, analyzed political developments like revolutions, and evaluated leaders such as Pericles.

What was Thucydides greatest achievement?

Thucydides is considered the greatest ancient Greek historian and is the author of History of the Peloponnesian War, which details the 5th-century conflict between Athens and Sparta. His work was the first to record a history using “modern” methods and the first moral and political analysis of a country’s war policies.

What was Thucydides book called?

History of the Peloponnesian War
Thucydides is the author of History of the Peloponnesian War, a sweeping contemporary account of the nearly three-decade conflict between Athens and Sparta for dominance of the Greek world. The eight-volume work is regarded as one of the finest works of history ever written.

Which of the classical theorists is closest to Thucydides?

The Realist school of thought in International Relations has claimed both Thucydides and Thomas Hobbes as two of their intellectual forefathers and in doing so has suggested that the core beliefs and views of these two political thinkers can be classified as Realism.

What type of realist is Thucydides?

Overall, it has been shown that although Thucydides and Thomas Hobbes are classed as ‘realists’, there are significant differences in a lot of their views and assumptions about international relations. Thucydides, all in all, tends to be closer to political realism in his view points than Hobbes.

Why is Thucydides a realist?

Thucydides’ History Influence to Realism Thucydides is regarded as an intellectual forbearer of realpolitik for he views the relations between nations (in History’s regard, between Sparta’s Peloponnesian League and Athens’ Delian League) as based on might or power rather than might (Leo Strauss, 1962).