"The absence of romance from my history will, I fear, detract somewhat from its interest; but if it be judged useful by those inquirers who desire an exact knowledge of the past as an aid to the interpretation of the future, which in the course of human things must resemble if it does not reflect it, I shall be content. In fine, I have written my work, not as an essay which is to win the applause of the moment, but as a possession for all time" - Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War [Book I, 22].
Thucydides is considered by some scholars to be the Father of Modern History. Thucydides non-fiction approach to history and his love of exact facts have given him this name. In his book History, Thucydides relates the facts of the Peloponnesian War with as much fact and truth as possible, unlike his contemporaries who used second hand word of mouth and myths to relate their details. For this reason Thucydides is considered one the first true historians.
Thucydides was born some where between 470BC and 460BC. Thucydides was the son of Olorus or Orolus and Hegesipyle and was from the Deme of Halimus. His family was wealthy, owning property of gold mines in Scapte Hyle on the Thoracian coast opposite of Thasos. Some scholars speculate that he may have been related to a Thoracian Prince whose daughter gave birth to famous Athenian statesman Cimon (also their graves are located fairly close to each other's). .
Little of Thucydides education is known most of it being speculation. But he allegedly studied oratory under Antiphon and under Anaxagoras, philosophy. He probably studied under the Sophists movement as well. He knew a fair amount of the past accounts of Greek history and their authors. .
During the Athenian epidemic of 430-427BC, Thucydides fell to the plague but was among the few who recovered and survived. In 427BC Thucydides became a general in the Peloponnesian War and fought in Chalcidice.
