Athens: Its Rise and Fall, Book V

"Athens: Its Rise and Fall, Book V" by Edward Bulwer Lytton examines a turbulent period in ancient Athens, marked by war and political conflict. Set between the death of Cimon and the death of Pericles during the Peloponnesian War, the book explores the deep rivalry between the aristocratic party and the growing democratic movement led by Pericles. Vividly unfolding critical battles and strategic political plays, the narrative emphasizes events such as the Sacred War, the Battle of Coronea, and the consequences of shifting alliances, which ignited uprisings and brought both Pericles and Thucydides into increasingly difficult situations, all set against the rich backdrop of a society grappling with military actions and social upheavals.