An 'Accidental' War with Iran Would End in Disaster for Both Sides, Holy Cross Professor Warns

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have been on the rise in the past few weeks, prompting regional experts and government officials to voice concerns over the potential for conflict — intended or accidental — to break out between the two countries.

In a commentary for The Washington Post, Thomas Martin, professor and Jeremiah W. O'Connor chair of classics at the College of the Holy Cross, said that he too was worried about escalations that could lead to an accidental conflict in the area, drawing a parallel to the Peloponnesian War, the most devastating war in ancient Greek history, which produced disaster for both sides.

"War can be fatal to the victors as well as the vanquished, especially if the conflict is prolonged. For both Sparta and Athens, their failure to set emotions aside and negotiate doomed them to decline," said Martin.

Professor Martin specializes in the ancient history of democracy and how it compares with modern American democracy. He has contributed to documentaries produced by History International about Roman history, especially to the series "Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire."

To read the full article, go to WashingtonPost.com.