Ancient Warfare

Greek and Roman warfare was unlike that of any other culture before or since. The key difference is often held to be that the Greeks and Romans practiced a "Western Way of War", in which the aim is an open, decisive battle - won by courage instilled, in part, by discipline. Here, Harry Sidebottom looks at how this Western Way of War was constructed and maintained by the Greeks and Romans and why this concept is so prevalent today. 

World History of Warfare covers worldwide military history from ancient times to the present and is designed for college courses. Its principal theme is an exploration of change and continuity, revolution and tradition, in three thousand years of warfare. It teaches students and general listeners how warfare evolved and how that evolution affected human society, with emphasis on major turning points in the conduct of warfare rather than a superficial general history of wars.

In 431 BC, the long simmering rivalry between the city-states of Athens and Sparta erupted into open warfare, and for more than a generation the two were locked in a life-and-death struggle. The war embroiled the entire Greek world, provoking years of butchery previously unparalleled in ancient Greece. Whole cities were exterminated, their men killed, their women and children enslaved.

For the first time, By the Spear offers an exhilarating military narrative of the reigns of these two larger-than-life figures in one volume. Ian Worthington gives full breadth to the careers of father and son, showing how Philip was the architect of the Macedonian empire, which reached its zenith under Alexander, only to disintegrate upon his death.

Before the Romans could become masters of the Mediterranean, they had to first conquer the people of their own peninsula. This book explores the origins of Roman imperialism and the creation of Rome's early Italian empire, bringing new light and interpretations to this important but problematic period in Roman history. It explains how and why the Romans were able to expand their influence within Italy, often through the use of armed conflict, laying the foundations for their great imperial project.

In this manual, the author takes readers on an exploratory journey into the teachings of the Early Church on spiritual warfare. This book, which was written for the authors daughters, reveals age-old teachings from early Orthodox Church theologians, mystics and saints who essentially pioneered human psychology in the deserts, caves and monasteries of the Eastern Byzantine Empire at the dawn of Christianity. With a foundation in Scripture, the author dives deep into the seemingly bottomless well of wisdom that is the vast library of writings that these experienced practitioners left behind.

Mastering the West offers a thoroughly engrossing narrative of this century of battle in the western Mediterranean, while treating a full range of themes: the antagonists' military, naval, economic, and demographic resources; the political structures of both republics; and the postwar impact of the conflicts on the participants and victims.

A comprehensive, theological guide to everything the Bible has to say about spiritual warfare. Many Christians today are unaware or skeptical of the reality of Satan and the role he and his demonic hordes seek to exert on our lives. But if we're to take Scripture seriously, we can't overlook the...

Through the flames of rebellion, heroes are forged. In the heart of a fractured Rome, as Pompey the Great triumphs in Hispania against a sea of rebellion, a fire stirs on the slopes of Vesuvius. Here, in the shadow of the mighty volcano, an unprecedented alliance of slaves and gladiators dares...

A brutal, expertly researched novel, beloved by readers around the world, that captures the real Roman Army as you've never seen it before . . . 'Second to none' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'As good as Simon Scarrow' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'You can't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The way Anthony Riches describes...

'Impressive to an astounding extent' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review 'Impossible to put down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review 'A fascinating story: authentic, action-packed and full of humour' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review 'The bone crunching, blood letting and all our fury of ancient warfare is...

Reveals the profound influence of the Denisovans and their hybrid descendants upon the flowering of human civilization around the world Traces the migrations of the sophisticated Denisovans and their interbreeding with Neanderthals and early human populations more than 40,000 years ago ...

‘A gripping new collection from Max Hastings that puts you at the heart of the battle … Compelling’ Daily Mail ‘An unmissable read’ Sunday Times Soldiers is a very personal gathering of sparkling, gripping tales by many writers, about men and women who have borne arms, reflecting...

The complete and definitive history of how Roman generals carved out the greatest and longest-lasting empire the world has ever seen. The Roman army was one of the most effective fighting forces in history. The legions and their commanders carved out an empire which eventually included the...

Two great empires on the brink of war, one last hope for peace… 1294 BC: The fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires is crumbling. The ancient world braces itself for war on an unprecedented scale. Prince Hattu, the greatest of the Hittite generals, suffers dreams of terrible...

The war at Troy has raged for ten years. Its final throes will echo through eternity… 1258 BC: Surrounded and outnumbered by the army of Agamemnon, King Priam and his Trojan forces fight desperately to defend their city. In the lulls between battle, all talk inevitably turns to the mighty ally...

A History of War explains the dark but compelling story of warfare, from its emergence in prehistoric tribal disputes, through great imperial and global wars, to present-day counterinsurgency and 'hybrid' conflicts. Two factors sit at the heart of this story: technology—including weapons, vehicle systems, vehicles—and tactics. A History of War charts the rise of the army, explaining how primitive tribal war parties evolved through seasonal levies and feudal armies to professional standing armies and mass conscription forces, with formal organisational structures.

377 AD: Numerius Vitellius Pavo and the men of the XI Claudia return to Constantinople from their brutal Persian sortie to hear widespread tales of Thracia’s plight and the precarious mountain blockades. Each of them knows what is at stake should those passes fall: the heartland of the...

Bloomsbury presents Caesar's Civil War by Adrian Goldsworthy, read by John Telfer. This is an accessible introduction to Julius Caesar’s Civil War. Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great were two of the greatest generals Rome had ever produced. Together they had brought vast stretches of territory...

It is 48 BC and Caesar is master of Rome, but Pompey is at large in the huge recruiting grounds of the east with a core of powerful officers, nominally representing the senate in absentia. As the general deals with matters in the city his army gathers at the coast, waiting to cross the sea and...