Battles of the Ancient World is a comprehensive visual guide to battles of the Ancient era. Arranged chronologically to cover all the major battles of the times, the book includes every major clash of arms over a 2000-year period, from the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II’s victory at Kadesh, to the defeat of Atilla and his Hunnic army at Catalaunian Field by the Romans in AD451.
Each clash-of-arms is covered in comprehensive detail, with extensive analysis of the broader social and political background to the conflict, a complete description of the battle and thorough post-battle analysis. Full-colour maps of each battle are accompanied by detailed annotations, which helps the reader follow the battles as they unfold. All the maps in this volume have been specially commissioned from an expert cartographer.
Every type of battle is covered, demonstrating the many aspects of Ancient warfare, including: the Greek victory over a much larger Persian force at Marathon (490BC), illustrating the power of well-desciplined and well-deployed infantry; Hannibal’s victory over the Romans at Trebia (218BC), a result of the Carthaginian’s greater tactical acumen; the famous Roman siege of Jewish resistance at Masada (73BC), which was broken only after the defenders had committed mass suicide; and Augustus’s famous naval victory over Anthony and Cleopatra’s Egyptian forces at Actium (31BC), a victory that had profound political consequences for the future of Rome.
This detailed atlas of Ancient battles provides an invaluable work of reference for both the general reader and the serious student of Ancient warfare.
Kelly DeVries is professor of history at Loyola University Maryland. He is the author of several books, including Medieval Military Technology, Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century, Joan of Arc: A Military Leader and Guns and Men in Medieval Europe.
Martin J. Dougherty is the author of Ireland: The Emerald Isle, Greek Myths and Celts, among many other titles. A former defence consultant, he has written numerous books on history and military history, including Vikings: A History of the Norse People, The Wars of the Roses, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and Kings & Queens of the Medieval World.
Iain Dickie's interest in military matters was first inspired by pictures of Roman artillery at the age of 12. He has been a committee member of the Society of Ancients, the editor of Army & Navy Modelworld, Military Hobbies and Miniature Wargames magazine, and has contributed to Battles of the Ancient World and Battles of the Medieval World.
Phyllis G. Jestice is professor of medieval European history at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. A devoted teacher, Jestice enjoys writing for both academic and popular audiences. She is the author of Queens, Pharaohs and The Medieval Knight, while her most recent monograph is Imperial Ladies of the Ottonian Dynasty: Women and Rule in Tenth-century Germany.
Rob S. Rice teaches courses at the American Military University. He has published articles in the Oxford Companion to American Military History and contributed to Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World, Fighting Techniques of the Early Modern World, Battles of the Ancient World, Battles of the Bible, Fighting Techniques of Naval Warfare, and Fighting Techniques of the Colonial Era.
