Best known for his account of the Peloponnesian War, Thucydides (c. 454-c. 395 b.c.) was an Athenian general and historian. This valuable commentary addresses the most famous part of Thucydides's narrative: the Sicilian Expedition (books 6-8.1), which resulted in a major defeat for Athens. Designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of Greek, Martha C. Taylor's student-friendly text is the first single volume in more than a century to focus on the expedition and the first to include the Melian Dialogue (5.84-116), considered the "prelude" to the invasion.

Many beginning readers of Thucydides require assistance with the author's often difficult constructions. In her notes to the text, Taylor breaks down Thucydides's convoluted sentences and explains them piece by piece. Her notes also explain the author's many historical and literary references.