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Ancient World
General Works
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Books - Ancient World
General Works - Hellenistic World - Egypt - Seleucid Empire
General Works
The Ancient Assyrians – Empire and Army, 883-612 BC, Mark Healy.
An impressively detailed military history of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, covering the rise and fall of the Empire, the activities and policies of the Emperors, the nature of the Assyrian army and its many campaigns. The survival of a massive number of cuniform tablets, combined with the monumental wall art created to celebrate the achievements of the Emperors, allows the author to create an impressively detailed military and political history of what became the largest Empire yet to exist (Read Full Review)
The Wars of Alexander’s Successors 323-281 BC: Volume I: Commanders & Campaigns, Bob Bennett & Mike Roberts.
The first part of a study of the wars of Alexander’s Successors, concentrating on the individual commanders, their overall careers and their campaigns, leaving the details of their battles for part two. An interesting approach, with some chapters covering the entire group during key events and others focusing on the career of one successor at a time. Looks at a forty year period of near constant warfare, involving some remarkable, ambitious characters, none of whom were quite able to ever reunite Alexander’s empire. (Read Full Review)
The Galatians – Celtic Invaders of Greece and Asia Minor, John D. Grainger.
A detailed history of the Galatians, tracing their development from Balkan raiders to part of the Hellenistic state system, and on to their relationship with the expanding power of Rome. Does an excellent job of looking at events from the Galatian perspective, rather than as they were seen by their Greek enemies, so we see them evolve from a raiding force into a more or less regular part of the Hellenistic state system, before eventually succumbing to the power of Rome.
(Read Full Review)
Ancient Warfare Vol XI, Issue 4: Wars of the Twelve Tribe - Conflict in the Old Testament Focuses on some of the wars mentioned in the Old Testament, including Gideon’s famous selection of an elite force, a coalition battle against the Neo-Assyrians, the defensive policy of Judah, the role of Israelites in the Assyrian army, and the Lachish reliefs. Away from the theme looks at a Roman military diploma in New York, all-source analysis and the mystery of the antisignani, described as fighting in front of the banners in a Roman army. [see more] |
Ancient Warfare Vol X, Issue 5: The Legacy of Cyrus - The empires of Persia at War Focuses on the massive Persian Empire, starting with the conquest of Cyrus the Great and going on to the later Sassanid period. Includes an interesting look at how Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon became the basis of a much later Sassanid myth, the undocumented but archeologically interesting of Dura-Europos, and the portrayal of Artemisia of Halicarnassus in the Greek histories of the period [see more] |
Ancient Warfare Vol XI, Issue 5: Riding into Battle - Ancient mounted warfare Focuses on mounted warfare in the ancient world, but with a wider remit than horse cavalry, so includes a look at dromedary troops, two articles on war elephants and one on a type of infantry that found alongside the cavalry, as well as the evidence for cavalry on the Pydna monument, and an examination of how the Legions cared for their horses. Also includes an alternative theory on how the Legions fought, and a look at a mystery troop type mentioned in a Roman military manual [see more] |
Carthage’s Other Wars, Dexter Hoyos.
Looks at Carthage’s ‘other’ wars, their repeated conflicts against the Greeks of Sicily, the struggles to maintain their position in Africa and the late conquest of Spain. The nature of the surviving sources mean that most of the material covers the wars against the Greeks of Sicily, whose accounts of the fighting have survived, but there is also good material on the wars in North Africa and Spain. Written by an established expert on Carthage, the military narratives are supported by an excellent understanding of the city’s politics (Read Full Review)
War Bows, Mike Loades.
Looks at the longbow, crossbow, composite bow and Japanese Yumi, largely based on previously published Osprey books, but updated for this combined edition. Brings together four fascinating topics to provide a useful overview of the many types of war bow that were used from western Europe to Japan, and the varied types of archery that developed around them. Useful to have all four together in a single volume, allowing a more direct comparison between the different types (Read Full Review)
Pyrrhus of Epirus, Jeff Champion.
A useful biography of one of the more adventurous leaders of the generation that followed Alexander the Great, twice king of Macedon, twice king of Epirus, once king of Sicily and one of Rome's most dangerous early opponents, even if his victories did come at such a cost that his name has become associated with costly self defeating victories. Does a good job of tracing his career through the often fragmentary sources, and of placing him in the context of his times
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Ancient Warfare Vol IX, Issue 6: A Feast for Dogs & Crows - The Aftermath of Battle An unusual theme, focusing on the aftermath of war, looking at the fate of the victors and vanquished, the return home and the celebrations of victory as well as the fate of the dead or the captive. Interesting to follow on from where most accounts of battles end, . Also looks at the real role of the Praetorian Guard, and the nature of the cuneus in Roman fighting. [see more] |
Cataphracts - Knights of the Ancient Eastern Empires, Erich B. Anderson.
Looks at the heavily armoured horsemen found in armies across the Ancient Middle East, most famously in the armies of Parthia, Persia and the Byzantines. Traces the development of heavily armoured troops, their use in battle, the variants in use with different powers, and their eventual decline during the Byzantine period. A useful single volume history of the heaviest cavalry type of the ancient world. [ read full review]
Dawn of the Horse Warriors - Chariot and Cavalry Warfare 3000-600BC, Duncan Noble.
Looks at the history of chariot warfare in the pre-classical world, a period in which chariots were found across a vast area stretching from the edges of the Greek world south to Egypt and all the way to China. Written by an experimental archaeologist who has been involved with reconstructing chariots, and so combines a good use of the ancient sources with an understanding of what was actually possible. [ read full review]
Bronze Age Military Equipment, Dan Howard. A detailed survey of Bronze Age weapons, armour and shields, focusing mainly on the rare survivals and the textual evidence to try and reproduce the military equipment of the Near East, Middle East and eastern Mediterranean. A very valuable summary of the current state of knowledge on this early period in military history. [ read full review]
The Wars of the Maccabees, John D. Grainger. A military history of the hundred years of warfare between the revolt of the Maccabees in 167BC and the Roman conquest of the Hasmonean kingdom and their capture of Jerusalem in 63BC. The author does an excellent job of comparing the Jewish and other sources to produce a more realistic assessment of the conquests and achievements of the Hasmonean kings. [ read full review]
Hellenistic World
Armies of the Hellenistic States 323 BC- AD 30, History, Organisation & Equipment, Gabriele Esposito.
An excellent study of the armies fielded by the many different Hellenistic powers, starting with the Macedonian armies of Philip II and Alexander the Great, then looking at the armies of the many and varied powers to emerge from the wars of the successors, from the ‘big three’ of Macedonia, Egpyt and the Seleucids to the individual Greek cities, Hellenistic Isreal and the Bactrian and Indian outposts. Covers their structure, troop types and equipment, and how they changed over time (Read Full Review)
The Rise of the Hellenistic Kingdoms 336-250 BC, Philip Matyszak.
Looks at the first period in the history of the Hellenistic kingdoms, looking at the conquests of Alexander the Great, the wars of the successors that created the three main Hellenistic kingdoms, and the prime years of those kingdoms, when they were the dominant powers of the eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps inevitably focuses largely on the wars that created the empire then broke it apart, but also looks at the wider Hellenistic world, a period of some scientific progress, as well as the creation of the famous Library of Alexandria
(Read Full Review)
The Macedonian Phalanx, Richard Taylor.
A detailed look at the Macedonian phalanx, looking at how it developed, how it was equipped, how it was used in battle and its strengths and weaknesses. Based on a detailed anaylsis of the available sources, with a great deal of effort taken to make sure that evidence for the hoplite isn’t used for the Macedonians. Often disagrees with the standard view of the phalanx, but always backs up those arguments with excellent sources. (Read Full Review)
Antipater’s Dynasty – Alexander the Great’s Regent and his Successors, John D Grainger .
A useful study of the short-lived dynasty founded by Antipater, Alexander the Great’s deputy in Macedonia during his great campaign, and continued by his son Cassander, who overthrew Alexander’s dynasty and declared himself to be king of Macedonia. A good choice of topic, filling a gap in the history of the period, and demonstrating just how significant this pair of father and son were in the creation and then the destruction of Alexander’s empire (Read Full Review)
Kings and Kingship in the Hellenistic World 350-30 BC, John D Grainger.
Looks at the nature of kingship in the years between Alexander the Great and the Roman conquest of the Hellenistic world, a period in which a surprising number of dynasties established themselves, and in some cases even flourished for centuries before disappearing. Organised thematically, so we see how the various dynasties differed, and more often how much they had in common. Also helps to explain how some of these apparently unstable dynasties managed to survive for so long
(Read Full Review)
Egypt
Pharaoh Seti I - Father of Egyptian Greatness, Nicky Nielsen.
Excellent biography of the father of Ramesses II, tracing the key developments of his decade long reign, which saw Egypt recover from a period of religious and dynastic confusion, and set the stage for the long reign of his more famous son. Traces his early life, military campaigns and monumental construction projects as well as some of the more ordinary aspects of life in Seti’s Egypt. The author makes a good case for seeing Seti’s reign as key to the success of his son (Read Full Review)
Ancient Warfare Vol X, Issue 2: Wars in Hellenistic Egypt, kingdom of the Ptolemies Focuses on Ptolemaic Egypt, the most successful and long-lived of the successor kingdoms to the empire of Alexander the Great. Includes interesting articles on Julius Caesar's period of urban warfare in Alexandria, the massive warships of the Ptolemaic navy, and away from the theme on the value of 'Barbarian' troops to the Late Roman Empire. Nice to have a focus on Ptolemaic Egypt in its own right, rather than as part of someone else's story.. [see more] |
Seleucid Empire
The Rise of the Seleukid Empire 323-223 BC, John D Grainger .
Looks at the rise and first fall of the Seleucid Empire, the largest successor state to emerge from the collapse of Alexander the Great's Empire. Starts with the rise of the Empire under the impressive Seleucus I and ends with the accession of Antiochus III, the subject of volume two in the series. [ read full review]
The Seleukid Empire of Antiochus III 223-187 BC, John D. Grainger.
Looks at the life and achievements of Antiochus III, one of the most successful of the Seleukid Emperors, but now best remembered for his defeats at the hands of the Romans. During a long reign he regained control of most areas that had been claimed by his predecessors, defeated the Ptolomies, secured most of Asia Minor, but overstretched himself with an invasion of Thrace and his activities in mainland Greece, which helped trigger the clash with Rome. [ read full review]
The Fall of the Seleukid Empire, 187-75 BC, John D. Grainger.
Looks at the last century of the Seleukid Empire, a period of near constant decline, repeated civil wars and family disputes that eventually saw this powerful empire dwindle away and disappear. A good, convincing narrative produced from a limited number of available sources, following the decline of what was once the largest of the successor states to Alexander the Great [ read full review]
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