Andrew Novo

Andrew Novo is a professor of strategic studies at the National Defense University and a historian specializing in ancient and modern European history and strategy. He co-authored Restoring Thucydides: Testing Familiar Lessons and Deriving New Ones with Jay Parker.

Thucydides’ Famous Maxims Lose Meaning When Read Outside Their Context

Historian Andrew Novo argues that Thucydides is most useful to readers of politics and war when his famous lines are read in context, not treated as timeless rules. In a discussion with Andrew Roberts, Novo says the history of Athens and Sparta offers lessons about recurring motives such as fear, ambition and the pursuit of power—but applying them to current rivalries requires attention to specific interests, alliances and decisions.

Hoover InstitutionSep 29, 202615 min read