The _Peloponnesian_ war began in spring _An._ 1 _Olymp._ 87, as _Diodorus_, _Eusebius_, and all other authors agree. It began two months before _Pythodorus_ ceased to be _Archon_, _Thucyd._ l. 2. that is, in _April_, two months before the end of the _Olympic_ year. Now the years of this war are most certainly determined by the 50 years distance of its first year from the transit of _Xerxes_ inclusively, _Thucyd._ l. 2. or 48 years exclusively, _Eratosth. apud Clem. Alex._ by the 69 years distance of its end, or 27th year, from the beginning of _Alexander_'s reign in _Greece_; by the acting of the _Olympic_ games in its 4th and 12th years, _Thucyd._ l. 5; and by three eclipses of the sun, and one of the moon, mentioned by _Thucydides_ and _Xenophon_. Now _Thucydides_, an unquestionable witness, tells us, that the news of the death of _Artaxerxes Longimanus_ was brought to _Ephesus_, and from thence by some _Athenians_ to _Athens_, in the 7th year of this _Peloponnesian_ war, when the winter half year was running; and therefore he died _An._ 4 _Olymp._ 88, in the end of _An. J.P._ 4289, suppose a month or two before midwinter; for so long the news would be in coming. Now _Artaxerxes Longimanus_ reigned 40 years, by the consent of _Diodorus_, _Eusebius_, _Jerome_, _Sulpitius_; or 41, according to _Ptol. in can. Clem. Alexand._ l. 1. _Strom. Chron. Alexandr_. _Abulpharagius_, _Nicephorus_, including therein the reign of his successors _Xerxes_ and _Sogdian_, as _Abulpharagius_ informs us. After _Artaxerxes_ reigned his son _Xerxes_ two months, and _Sogdian_ seven months; but their reign is not reckoned apart in summing up the years of the Kings, but is included in the 40 or 41 years reign of _Artaxerxes_: omit these nine months, and the precise reign of _Artaxerxes_ will be thirty nine years and three months. And therefore since his reign ended in the beginning of winter _An. J.P._ 4289, it began between midsummer and autumn, _An. J.P._ 4250.