The fifth-century BCE historian Thucydides is known for his History of the Peloponnesian War (Historia belli peloponnesiaci). Because this classic work is Thucydides’s sole surviving work, some scholars choose to reference the work by Thucydides’s name alone:

(Thucydides, 2.2)

However, to maintain consistency with other ancient references with an identifiable author, we recommend that readers use the following abbreviation:

References to the work should include Thucydides’s name, an abbreviation for the work, and the specific part of the text being referenced:

(Thucydides, P.W. 2.2)

Peloponnesian War comprises eight books, each of which is further subdivided into chapters and sections. The example above cites chapter 2 of book 2; to cite section 4 of chapter 2, one would write: Thucydides, P.W. 2.2.4.

When an English translation of the work is quoted, the translator’s name should be included in brackets (see SBLHS 2 §6.4.2):

(Thucydides, P.W. 2.2 [Smith])

The Greek text and English translations of Peloponnesian War are available online at the Perseus Collection.