Understanding Ancient Battle

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Understanding Ancient Battle
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Author : Hugh Elton
language : en
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Release Date : 2024-01-30
Understanding Ancient Battle written by Hugh Elton and has been published by Pen and Sword Military this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2024-01-30 with History categories.
Uncover the intricacies of ancient warfare from unit commanders' perspectives, with an overview of equipment, tactics, formations, and leadership through detailed case studies, accompanied by expert analysis and illustrations. Traditional military history of battles focussed on the strategies of great leaders, though in modern times many scholars have discussed the ‘face of battle’, describing the personal experience of the ordinary soldier. But in between, there still lies a major gap in our understanding of ancient combat: the officer’s battle. This focuses on how units actually fought and manoeuvred in battle. Hugh Elton seeks to redress this through analysis of the interaction of equipment, morale, leadership, and terrain. After discussing source material and the general model of warfare the author follows, this book outlines by major periods what we know of equipment, organization and tactics, then shows how battle worked in a series of case studies including include Marathon, Issus, Cannae, Cynoscephalae, Mons Graupius, and Adrianople. A total of twenty-four battles are analyzed between the fifth-century BCE and the sixth century CE, covering the wars described by the great historians between Herodotus and Procopius, including accounts written by the soldiers Xenophon, Julius Caesar, and Ammianus Marcellinus.
Ancient Battle Formations
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Author : Justin Swanton
language : en
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
Release Date : 2022-03
Ancient Battle Formations written by Justin Swanton and has been published by Pen & Sword Military this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-03 with History categories.
Justin Swanton examines the principal battle-winning formations of the Ancient world, determining their composition, function and efficacy. An introductory chapter looks at the fundamental components of the principal battle formations of heavy and light infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots, showing how they bolstered the individual soldier's willingness to fight. The rest of the book focuses on massed infantry that reigned supreme in this era: the heavily armored Greek hoplite phalanx that was immune to the weaponry of its non-Greek opponents; the Macedonian pike phalanx that was unbeatable against frontal attacks so long as it kept order; the Roman triplex acies which, contrary to popular opinion, consisted of continuous lines in open order, with file spaces wide enough to allow embattled infantry to fall back after which those files closed up instantly against the enemy. A careful study of the Greek and Latin of the sources sheds fresh light on how these formations were organized and worked, re-evaluating many conventional notions and leading to some surprising conclusions.
Ancient Warfare
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Author : Harry Sidebottom
language : en
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Release Date : 2004-11-25
Ancient Warfare written by Harry Sidebottom and has been published by OUP Oxford this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2004-11-25 with History categories.
Greek and Roman warfare differed from other cultures and was unlike any other forms of warfare before and after. The key difference is often held to be that the Greeks and Romans practised a 'Western Way of War', where the aim is an open, decisive battle, won by courage instilled in part by discipline. Harry Sidebottom looks at how and why this 'Western Way of War' was constructed and maintained by the Greeks and Romans, why this concept is so popular and prevalent today, and at whether or not this is an accurate interpretation. All aspects of ancient warfare are thoroughly examined - from philosophy and strategy to the technical skills needed to fight. He looks at war in the wider context - how wars could shape classical society, and how the individual's identity could be constructed by war, for example the Christian soldier fighting in God's name. He also explores the ways in which ancient society thought about conflict: Can a war be just? Why was siege warfare particularly bloody? What role did divine intervention play in the outcome of a battle? Taking fascinating examples from the Iliad, Tacitus, and the Persian Wars, Sidebottom uses arresting anecdotes and striking visual images to show that the any understanding of ancient war is an ongoing process of interpretation. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Understanding Greek Warfare
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Author : Matthew A. Sears
language : en
Publisher: Routledge
Release Date : 2019-02-04
Understanding Greek Warfare written by Matthew A. Sears and has been published by Routledge this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-02-04 with History categories.
Understanding Greek Warfare offers a wide-ranging survey of Greek warfare, from the Mycenaeans through to the Hellenistic kingdoms’ clashes with Rome. Each chapter provides an overview of a particular theme and historical period, and a detailed discussion of the relevant sources, both ancient and modern. This volume covers not only the development of equipment, tactics, strategy, and the major wars of Greek history – the "drums and trumpets" – it also examines the political, social, and cultural importance of warfare in each period. Each chapter outlines major scholarly debates, such as the true nature of hoplite battle and whether Alexander the Great had a strategic vision beyond conquest, and includes several short selections from the primary literary evidence. Readable yet scholarly, this book is an ideal companion to courses on Greek warfare and society, and offers detailed suggestions for further reading and research. Understanding Greek Warfare will be a crucial resource for students of war in the ancient Greek world, and of the ancient Greeks in general.
Understanding Ancient Battle
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Author : Hugh Elton
language : en
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Release Date : 2024-01-30
Understanding Ancient Battle written by Hugh Elton and has been published by Pen and Sword Military this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2024-01-30 with History categories.
Uncover the intricacies of ancient warfare from unit commanders' perspectives, with an overview of equipment, tactics, formations, and leadership through detailed case studies, accompanied by expert analysis and illustrations. Traditional military history of battles focussed on the strategies of great leaders, though in modern times many scholars have discussed the ‘face of battle’, describing the personal experience of the ordinary soldier. But in between, there still lies a major gap in our understanding of ancient combat: the officer’s battle. This focuses on how units actually fought and manoeuvred in battle. Hugh Elton seeks to redress this through analysis of the interaction of equipment, morale, leadership, and terrain. After discussing source material and the general model of warfare the author follows, this book outlines by major periods what we know of equipment, organization and tactics, then shows how battle worked in a series of case studies including include Marathon, Issus, Cannae, Cynoscephalae, Mons Graupius, and Adrianople. A total of twenty-four battles are analyzed between the fifth-century BCE and the sixth century CE, covering the wars described by the great historians between Herodotus and Procopius, including accounts written by the soldiers Xenophon, Julius Caesar, and Ammianus Marcellinus.
On Ancient Warfare
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Author : Richard A. Gabriel
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2018
On Ancient Warfare written by Richard A. Gabriel and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2018 with categories.
Warfare In The Ancient World
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Author : Brian Todd Carey
language : en
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Release Date : 2006-01-19
Warfare In The Ancient World written by Brian Todd Carey and has been published by Pen and Sword this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2006-01-19 with History categories.
“An interesting study of the development of military organization and strategy across several millennia, from Bronze Age Mesopotamia to the last days of Rome.” —The Pegasus Archive Warfare in the Ancient World explores how civilizations and cultures made war on the battlefields of the Near East and Europe between the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia in the late fourth millennium BC and the fall of Rome. Through an exploration of twenty-six selected battles, military historian Brian Todd Carey surveys the changing tactical relationships between the four weapon systems—heavy and light infantry and heavy and light cavalry—focusing on how shock and missile combat evolved from tentative beginnings in the Bronze Age to the highly developed military organization created by the Romans. The art of warfare reached a very sophisticated level of development during this three millennia span. Commanders fully realized the tactical capabilities of shock and missile combat in large battlefield situations. Modern principles of war, like the primacy of the offensive, mass, and economy of force, were understood by pre-modern generals and applied on battlefields throughout the period. Through the use of dozens of multiphase tactical maps, this fascinating introduction to the art of war during western civilizations ancient and classical periods pulls together the primary and secondary sources and creates a powerful historical narrative. The result is a synthetic work that will be essential reading for students and armchair historians alike. “An ambitious book that sets out to cover four and a half thousand years of military history, from the rise of the first civilizations in the Near East to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.” —History of War
A Sensory History Of Ancient Warfare
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Author : Conor Whately
language : en
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
Release Date : 2021-08-26
A Sensory History Of Ancient Warfare written by Conor Whately and has been published by Pen and Sword Military this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021-08-26 with History categories.
How can we attempt to understand the experience of those involved in ancient battles, sieges and campaigns? What was the visual impact of seeing the massed ranks of the enemy approaching or the sky darkened with their arrows? How did it feel to be trapped in the press of bodies as phalanxes clashed shield to shield? What of the taste of dust on the march or the smell of split blood and entrails? What of the rumble of approaching cavalry, the clash of iron weapons and the screams of the dying? The assault on all five senses which must have occurred is the subject of this innovative book. Sensory history is a new approach that attempts to understand the full spectrum of the experience of the participants in history. Conor Whately is the first to apply the discipline in a dedicated study of warfare in the classical world. He draws on literary, archaeological, reconstructive and comparative evidence to understand the human experience of the ancient battlefield in unprecedented depth.
Fighting Techniques Of The Ancient World 3000 B C To 500 A D
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Author : Simon Anglim
language : en
Publisher: Macmillan
Release Date : 2003
Fighting Techniques Of The Ancient World 3000 B C To 500 A D written by Simon Anglim and has been published by Macmillan this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2003 with History categories.
"Provides a detailed, highly-illustrated guide to warfare in the classical ancient world"--Jacket.
Lost Battles
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Author : Philip Sabin
language : en
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Release Date : 2015-02-05
Lost Battles written by Philip Sabin and has been published by Bloomsbury Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2015-02-05 with History categories.
From the author's introduction: Ancient battles seize the modern imagination. Far from being forgotten, they have become a significant aspect of popular culture, prompting a continuing stream of books, feature films, television programs and board and computer games... there is a certain escapist satisfaction in looking back to an era when conflicts between entire states turned on clear-cut pitched battles between formed armies, lasting just a few hours and spanning just a few miles of ground. These battles were still unspeakably traumatic and grisly affairs for those involved - at Cannae, Hannibal's men butchered around two and a half times as many Romans (out of a much smaller overall population) as there were British soldiers killed on the notorious first day of the Somme. However, as with the great clashes of the Napoleonic era, time has dulled our preoccupation with such awful human consequences, and we tend to focus instead on the inspired generalship of commanders like Alexander and Caesar and on the intriguing tactical interactions of units such as massed pikemen and war elephants within the very different military context of pre-gunpowder warfare. Lost Battles takes a new and innovative approach to the battles of antiquity. Using his experience with conflict simulation, Philip Sabin draws together ancient evidence and modern scholarship to construct a generic, grand tactical model of the battles as a whole. This model unites a mathematical framework, to capture the movement and combat of the opposing armies, with human decisions to shape the tactics of the antagonists. Sabin then develops detailed scenarios for 36 individual battles such as Marathon and Cannae, and uses the comparative structure offered by the generic model to help cast light on which particular interpretations of the ancient sources on issues such as army size fit in best with the general patterns observed elsewhere. Readers can use the model to experiment for themselves by re-fighting engagements of their choice, tweaking the scenarios to accord with their own judgment of the evidence, trying out different tactics from those used historically, and seeing how the battle then plays out. Lost Battles thus offers a unique dynamic insight into ancient warfare, combining academic rigor with the interest and accessibility of simulation gaming. This book includes access to a downloadable computer simulation where the reader can view the author's simulations as well create their own.