title: Thucydides on Strategy: Athenian and Spartan Grand Strategies in the Peloponesian War and Their Relevance Today (Columbia/Hurst)
author: Constantinos Koliopoulos
description: <P>an excellent companion to the History, and an aid to the essential reflection that Thucydides's work requires.</P> (Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely(Retd) <i>Rusi Journal</i> 1900-01-00)
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## The Thracian Border, Macedonia
  
  
  
  
  
  Parmenion reined in the gelding and swung to look back over the hills towards
  the distant River Axios. He could no longer see the rider, but he knew without
  a shred of doubt that he was still being followed. The Spartan found this
  irksome, but not as yet worrying.
  
  
  
  
  
  He had spotted him on his second day from Pella, a distant dot on the horizon,
  and had changed his course, veering north-east before cutting back to the main
  trail. From a heavily wooded hill-top Parmenion had then watched the rider
  also change direction.
  
  
  
  
  
  The distance was too great for identification. All Parmenion could see was
  that the man wore a burnished helm and breastplate and was riding a tall,
  dappled grey. The Spartan rode on, wary now for Thrace was close and he wished
  no confrontation with the border guards.
  
  
  
  
  
  The land stretched ahead in a series of folds, gulleys and hollows, thinly
  wooded and undulating. There were shallow str