In the eighth and final book of the Histories, Thucydides describes the events that took place during the years 413 - 411. He begins the account with the reaction that occurred in Athens after the destruction of its fleet, and generally of the expeditionary corps, in Sicily, as well as the consequences it had for the city regarding both its internal affairs and the stance and sentiments of all the Greeks, whether they were neutral or its allies or subjects.
It also refers to the stance of Sparta's allies and Sparta itself, which had now become more confident and hoped that it could defeat Athens and become the leading power of all Greece. But the greatest consequence, both for Athens' internal matters and for the overall conduct of the war, was the intervention of Persia.
Therefore, it is a labyrinth of events on military and political levels, referencing many figures not only from Athens but also from Sparta, and even Persia, who schemed, betrayed, and showcased the entire decline of Athens' political life at that time. However, we can categorize these events into three sections, which are not independent but always closely related to each other, so much so that one might think that Thucydides is dealing with a single theme: the Transition in Athens after 100 continuous years of democratic governance.
This perception is reinforced by the fact that there is only one dominant figure, Alcibiades, who believed that this was the only way to open the path for his return to Athens.
