Customer Reviews

Ancient Siege Warfare

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After I finished reading this book I was not too sure how I felt, I was a bit ambivalent about how good or bad it was. At times I found it hard going to continue but then it picked up with a very interesting account of some particular siege or battle. However other times I felt it was becoming repetitive, the same story with variations on the number of dead or the way the victors tortured or killed their enemies. There is no doubt that the author has thoroughly researched the subject but the narrative came across a bit dry in the end. The chapters on the Roman army's conduct of siege operations stand out. There were a number of line drawings and maps but I found the maps to be of poor quality, I'm sure better ones could have been found. If you are looking for a detailed account of how siege operations were carried out in ancient times and the result of those sieges then this is the book for you. I can only say that I did not find the narrative as free flowing as I usually like in a book, it was almost like reading a school text book at times. I would recommend this book only for those who have a keen interest in the subject matter.

So little has been written about ancient siege techniques that I was immediately intrigued when I first saw this book. After reading it I must profess that I enjoyed it immensely. It is at times plodding and repetitive, however it does an excellent job of emphasizing the importance of siege warfare in the ancient world. I find that I now have a much deeper appreciation of what was required to take or protect a city in ancient days.

This book provides a good overview of the developments of siege tactics throughout ancient history. Most of the subject matter deals with empires or peoples near the Mediterranean. The author does a good job of organizing the available sources to back up his discussions of different cultures, sieges, etc. At times he does attempt to expand on the sources and usually his opinions are logical interpretations. An added bonus is his bibliography which is an excellent source of references for continued research if desired.

All in all I found this book to be very interesting. It handles a lot of subject matter in detail that is usually passed over or severely summarized by military historians. Even a seasoned military historian will find that he has learned something from this book. It brings a surprising level of humanity to ancient warfare. However, one thing I do wish the book had was a chapter that went in depth into the design and manufacture of the different siege machinery. This is touched on but not nearly enough.

This is an enjoyable, informative, and reasonably thorough review of siege warfare in ancient times from Greece to Rome to Israel, Egypt, Assyria, Carthage, Mesopotamia, and the conquests of Alexander. "Ancient Siege Warfare" reviews the various techniques of the attackers and defenders. Kern paints a complete picture of the situation and psychology from both sides. He does his best to explain how besieger as well as the besieged suffered, and how this could translate into the gory rage that characterized the successful siezure of many a city after protracted siege.

Discussion of each geographical region and time is divided into the prominent sieges followed by a section detailing the treatment of captured cities. At times this can admittedly seem somewhat formulaic, since it is necessary to repeat the same information in the "treatment" section. However, this also makes the work well organized and more complete.

As mentioned in another review, Kern's work could benefit from even more illustration of some of the siege techniques/equipment. That is not to say that it is insufficient as there are 16 figures and 11 maps, but one can't help but feel the need for even more illustration.

Another area that is absent is any discussion of siege techniques in India or China during this time. While this is perhaps understandable, it does provide room for an enhanced 2nd edition.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in siege warfare, or ancient/classical history. In light of some minor relevant criticisms, I have awarded it 4 rather than 5 stars--if 4 1/2 stars was an option I would award it so.