I will give Hanson's book 4 stars for an amazing knowledge of the history of this war. However, I found it hard to move forward reading the book because he had so much to say about the background for the war. So only 3 stars for readability for me. I should not complain, though, because he does create a sense of what life and warfare was like in those days, better than probably any other book.

Victor Davis Hanson’s A War Like No Other: How the Athenians & Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War offers a detailed exploration of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE), the protracted conflict between Athens and Sparta. Hanson, a classicist and military historian, organizes the book thematically rather than chronologically, with chapters focusing on specific aspects of the war: fear as its catalyst, naval power, sieges, disease, hoplite battles, cavalry, fire, and terror tactics like the slaughter at Plataea and Melos. Drawing heavily on Thucydides, he reconstructs the war’s events while emphasizing its human and societal toll, civilian displacement, agricultural devastation, and the plague that ravaged Athens.

Hanson argues that this war was unique in its scale and brutality, a “war like no other” due to its blend of traditional Greek combat with innovative strategies and its erosion of moral norms, such as the execution of prisoners. He highlights the contrast between Athens’ naval democracy and Sparta’s land-based oligarchy, showing how their strengths and weaknesses shaped the conflict’s course. The book includes maps and a glossary to orient readers, though it assumes familiarity with Greek history. Hanson’s style is clear and analytical, often connecting the war’s lessons to modern conflicts, reflecting his belief in its lasting significance.

This work targets readers interested in military history and classical studies, providing a focused, accessible synthesis of the war’s mechanics and consequences.

I usually enjoy Victor Davis Hanson's writing and social commentary, but this book is strangely conceived and only partially successful. There are many fascinating passages on the way in which the Peloponnesian War was fought, and on its geography and social context. But for the most part Hanson can't seem to make up his mind whether he is writing narrative or thematic history, whether he is writing for a general audience or scholarly one, whether he wants to use Alcibiades as a foil or not, and ultimately what he really thinks. The result is an interesting but messy book which is hard to get caught up in, and in the end faintly dissatisfying.

This, for me, was extremely useful to read. I have read Thucydides' work earlier this year. While some passages are obviously great, the sheer size of the work, and the amount of events, was baffling. A lot of the actions seemed nonsensical.

Victor Davis Hanson's work comes in to fill the gaps. For example I was finally able to understand why Brasidas decides to attack in North, or why the Delian sanctuary needed to be purified. Or why the Spartans weren't simply able to break down the long walls, or mantain a base in Attica for the first 20 years or so of the war.

This book is like a kind and skilled professor explaining you in detail what you were too stupid to understand for yourself.

Excellent detailed study of the 27 year war/massacre between Athens and Sparta that involved all Greece and even spread to Sicily from 431-404 BC. The author breaks the conflict down into ten specific areas each with its own chapter providing the reader with a clear picture of the oftentimes confused Peloponnesian War. You need two bookmarks because the footnotes have their own section and are as illuminating and interesting as the text itself.

Թերևս պարտադիր ընթերցման գիրք քաղաքականությամբ, պատմությամբ զբաղվողների համար: Պելոպոննեսիան պատերազմները ոնց որ հաջորդած 2500 տարիների մինի, բետա տարբերակը լինեն:

Կարևորները

▶️ հեղինակը` Վիկտոր Դևիս Հանսոնը ամերիկյան պահպանողական մտածող է, ռազմական պատմաբան, գրող: Հուվեր Ինստիտուտի գիտնական: Նաև Թրամփի աջակից

▶️ Լեզուն հեշտ ընթեռնելի չէ: Ժամանցի համար չարժի կարդալ [ես էս սխալը արեցի]

▶️ Պետք է կարողանաք Դեմոկրատիա ընդդեմ Օլիգարխիան չտեսնել լավ ու վատի, առաջադեմի ու հետադիմականի պայքար: Հանսոնը լինելով ամերիկյան դեմոկրատիայի ջատագով, չի նսեմացնում Սպարտայի առավելությունները: Նույնիսկ նկարագրում է, որ օլիգարխիկ Սպարտան ավելի ներողամիտ էր ու իր դաշնակիցների ներքին գործերին ավելի քիչ էր խառնվում:

▶️ Սպատան չհաղթեց, Աթենքը պարտվեց

▶️ Պարտությունը սկսեց սեփական գաղափարները և իդեալները դավաճանելուց, երբ Աթենական Կայրսությունը արշավեց դեմոկրատ Սիրակուզայի դեմ

Ու եզրափակեմ, չկա գրքում մի բանի նկարգրություն, որ ներկայի հետ զուգահեռներ ու պիտանի չլինի:

“A War Like No Other” by Victor Hanson is a startlingly modern account of a very old war. This conflict, the Peloponnesian War, was fought between two of the most famous Greek city states: Sparta and Athens. This conflict changed the political and social reality of its combatants, representing a stark difference between agrarian combat to the naval, democratic superpowers of their age. It’s gripping, emotional, and educational. If you couldn’t tell, I quite liked this book!

Victor does a great job at outlining the aspects of war that changed for this conflict. Truthfully, no one comes out looking good. Ancient notions of society and war-making degenerate into wholesale slaughter of innocent civilians. Beliefs in a “fair” combat sinks with thousands of soldiers in violent, chaotic, trimere warfare. In essence, Victor outlines the original thought of the Hellenic period post war with Persia, and then showcases how it is absolutely punctured.

Victor fills the societal changes in alongside tactical and material changes. I did not know the function of full bronze armor in this age - kinda like a tank - nor did I understand the uselessness of ranged weaponry at this time. The descriptions of the ships and their pilots was just as illuminating. I don’t know much about the Bronze Age or really Ancient Greece, but Victor’s work gave me a good outline and basic understanding.

Finally, I think Victor does a great job at humanizing this conflict. He is intentionally clear about who is saying what on the battles, which often ignores the lower classes of society. Victor points out when these voices are silenced and how grand the cost of this war truly was. It boggles the mind of even a modern reader the absolute death and destruction Greece endured. Victor’s empathetic account only serves to benefit this understanding.

There are some minor critiques of the book. Victor’s approach isn’t entirely chronological, which can make events confusing. The timeline helps greatly. In addition, there is just so many names thrown around. I don’t think it’s Victor’s fault or there is much to be done about it, but it still made for a more confusing read. To his credit, Victor uses a glossary, index, and timeline to great effect.

In the end, this was a dense book on how war changes society - and vice versa. It broadly examines total war and its effects on one of our best recorded ancient societies’. The information is deep and has large breadth, but tools in the back of the book help the reader as much as possible. An almost perfect book, 4.5/5, would recommend to any ancient history fans. Especially if you like Ancient Greece!

'A War Like No Other' is a good introduction to Ancient Greek warfare and society. Victor Davis Hanson augments primary sources such as Thucydides and Xenophon, with secondary ancient texts, and modern archaeological literature. Rather than a chronological approach, Hanson provides a thematic analysis of the war. This method unveils the historical narrative whilst providing context and depth. Particularly attention is given to the destruction of Greek lives and society. The enduring lessons from the Peloponnesian War and this book provide insights into contemporary conflicts such as the Russo-Ukraine War.

After a decade of fighting, the Peace of Nicias ostensibly ended the Peloponnesian War in 421BC. However, this was only a bellus interruptem. The underpinnings of conflict--the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta, ideological differences, and fighting capacity--remained unresolved. Sparta emerged victorious after crushing Athens' navy at the later Battle of Aegospotami. This led to the destruction of the Athenian Empire, democracy, and military. Similarly, a premature peace between Ukraine and Russia would likely yield equally futile results.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine stemmed from their fear of losing influence to the US-dominated West. If a Russo-Ukraine peace agreement similar to the Peace of Nicias were reached now, in mid-2023, it would maintain the status quo ante. Despite Ukraine's aspirations for integration with the West, including the EU and NATO, significant proportions of its territory would remain under Russian occupation. Russia would continue to fear Ukraine's integration with the West and the Ukrainians would still fear Russian attacks. Thus, the US-led West must continue to support Ukrainian efforts to crush the Russian military, and subsequently integrate Ukraine into NATO while Russia is weakened. Only through this process can a lasting peace be achieved.

I started this book under the impression that this would be a conservative's take on the Juan Cole Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East model of history- an extended analysis of America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan told through the lens of another historical incident. Despite signaling in this direction in his first chapter, Hanson actually hews closely to the historical material at hand. The organization of the narrative by common war experiences (fire, disease, armor, horses, walls, ships) served very well at the beginning although it did make the end a bit of a slog as characters and battles discussed previously would be dredged through again under the framework of a following chapter. Hanson is a strong writer who makes the life of an average Athenian or Spartan surprisingly accessible given the intervening years.

I have great respect for the writings of Hanson. His well-researched and thorough histories take readers down paths that realistically bring ancient history alive, and A War Like No Other is no exception! This work is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of one of the most significant conflicts in human history, the Peloponnesian War. Hanson, a renowned classicist and historian, provides readers with a comprehensive analysis of this ancient Greek war that tore apart the mighty Athenian Empire and the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League in the 5th century BC. One of the book's standout features is Hanson's ability to make an ancient conflict relevant and relatable to modern readers. He skillfully draws parallels between the Peloponnesian War and contemporary geopolitical conflicts, making the book's lessons about power, politics, and human nature readily applicable to our world today. Through his insightful analysis, Hanson highlights the cyclical nature of international relations, emphasizing how the same patterns of rivalry, ambition, and conflict can be traced through the millennia. Hanson's deep understanding of classical history and military strategy shines through, allowing readers to gain a profound appreciation for the war's intricacies and the personalities involved. Additionally, the book offers a balanced perspective on the war, shedding light on the motivations and strategies of both Athens and Sparta, as well as the smaller Greek city-states caught in the crossfire. Hanson doesn't shy away from the brutal realities of war, including the devastating impact on civilians, cultural and societal upheaval, and the war's influence on the course of history. While A War Like No Other provides an excellent overview of the Peloponnesian War, it may be critiqued for its occasional complexity and the depth of detail it delves into. Some readers might find it overwhelming at times, especially those who are not well-versed in ancient history, but no matter, as Hanson often breaks these barriers down.

Fun overview of the Peloponnesian War with some odd thesis statements from the author. Sparta and Athens may have both been Greek, but they were also distinct states with their own laws and territory, so the author's assertion that this was the first civil war never convinces me (or his more ludicrous claim that WWI was a civil war because the main actors were all European).

He splits the book into sections details specific ways the war changed and evolved, like the Athenian plague, the advancement of cavalry, and naval fleets, but they all follow the war chronologically so it's a bit odd to even break down the sections like this in the first place. Still, if you know nothing about a war that more or less brought an end to golden age of Ancient Greece, its a great read. You WILL be frustrated at how badly Athens fumbled the ball. All-time terrible performance.

Hanson's A War Like No Other is an idiosyncratic take on the Peloponnesian War. Rather than a strictly chronological take on the major battles & personalities, it approaches each chapter with a theme on the major ways people died. So there's a chapter devoted to hoplite battle, sure. But also one on plague. It isn't completely without chronology -- the earlier chapters focus more on the early parts of the war and the later chapters on the later parts. But it does result in a fair amount of back & forth. I found it an interesting approach, though I think if I had a better grounding in the Peloponnesian War it would have worked better. All I really knew about it came from playing the boardgame Athens & Sparta once or twice.

So maybe better as a second book on the war? Or at least read the Wikipedia page first?

His "themes not chronology" approach breaks down a bit towards the end. The chapter on "horses" is really about Sicily, where siegecraft and naval battles are arguably just as important. The chapter on naval warfare is so big that is spills out into two chapters, with one of them being a more or less chronological telling of the final Spartan naval campaign.

While Hanson makes a credible case for the Big Man of History, especially Alcibiades, influencing events I liked that most of his focus was on big impersonal forces, like the Greek lack of cavalry or weak siegecraft in general at that point in history. Some will find the high-level treatment of famous battles and personalities off-putting and will be better served with another book.

Hanson also has occasional casual asides that I liked but others might not. For instance he (briefly) compares the coastal terror raiding of the Athenians & Spartans to modern terrorism. He talks about how one time he tried to cut down grape vines himself and discovered how hard -- nigh impossible -- it was. He mentions how even with modern ferries, tourists often become seasick in the waters around there -- so imagine how difficult it would have been to ferry horses 2,500 years ago. I liked these small touches. The overall effect was one of an author who has a facile grasp of the themes & events of the war and is able to seamlessly relate them to things outside and beyond the war itself.