Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in the Ancient Civilisations of Greece and Rome (Paperback)

by John Gibson Warry (Author) "Homer's Iliad is not history, but it is historical fiction, and it is the most obvious point at which to begin an account of ancient..." (more)
Key Phrases: colour illustration shows, primi ordines, troop types, Asia Minor, Julius Caesar, Black Sea (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
From the rise of Greece to the fall of Rome, this superbly illustrated volume is a wonderful account of the warriors and battles that dominated Europe and the Near East for more than 1,000 years. The story begins at Troy, drawing upon Homeric legend and modern archaeological evidence. It continues through Greece's Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, Alexander the Great, Rome's Punic Wars, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, and the barbarian invasions. Although John Warry's text is worth reading, the color drawings of uniforms, equipment, weapons, warships, siege engines, and more are the real highlight and make the chronicle extremely accessible. Warfare in the Classical World will excite both readers who have a mature interest in the period and, although it's not a kids' book, children becoming acquainted with ancient history for the first time.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806127945
• ISBN-13: 978-0806127941
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,602 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't think. Just buy it. Even if the cat has to go hungry., February 16, 1999

By	K. Wofford (Gainesville, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An absolute must have for anyone who is remotely interested in warfare in the classical world. Not just dry descriptions, but beautiful, realistic, full color illustrations of the soldiers from each important evoloution. (Such as the Homeric and Spartan hoplites, the Macedonian Phalangite, the Companion Cavalryman, the Thracian Peltast, the varied Persian troops, and the various evoloutions of the Roman Legionary and their foes (including Hannibal's Iberians, the Celts, and the Huns), along with detailed descriptions of each one's panopoly and tactics. Also describes all major battles, seagoing and siege tactics and the historical timeline surrounding each. The one thing it lacks is analysis of the great generals, which is appropriate as a good study of any great leader can easily fill a book this size. However, is a must-have companion to any T. A. Dodge or similar work on the period. Really puts a face on the fighting soldier.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview of Ancient Warfare, October 28, 2005

By	R. Forsythe "military buff" (IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent book on ancient warfare. It covers warfare from as far back as the Trojan War to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. John Warry makes the book a lot more interesting than other books of this era by accompanying the text with detailed drawings of soldiers, weapons, and galleys and also by adding several fairly detailed maps of time periods and battles. The book also has a time line that runs along the bottom of every page that provides info on events occurring around the world as well as summarizing the info in the chapters.

Another great thing about the book, that was also covered by other reviewers, is the section of ancient authorities. This adds to the credibility of the book by stating sources as well as just by providing information about scholars of the times.

There isn't too much to complain about, but if I had to say something, I wish that there was more time spent on warfare at the time of Imperial Rome. Only 2 out of 12 chapters cover this 400-500 year period of time though Republican Rome is covered in detail.

Overall though this is a great buy and a great reference for ancient warfare.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful reference on Classical Warfare, January 5, 2002

By	DH - See all my reviews

This is a beautifully balanced book. It covers the classical period between 1600BC and 800AD in a very organised and readable way. Each period is prefaced with the heading "Ancient Authorities" and outlines where the following information is sourced. Then the period is discussed in flowing narrative which highlights the key personalities and events of the time along with an indepth look at the mechanics of warfare. The strategy and tactics presented is blended nicely with the historical discussion. The numerous battle maps and accompanying data are a treasure for the military, history and wargaming buffs. The artwork throughout is first class as are the maps. I particularly like the full page colour depictions of combatants from different armies with detailed explanatory notes, some of the best I've seen. I found the middle part of the book focussed a little more heavily on the historical aspect. It did not contain as many battle maps as the first and latter part did, and I found myself flicking ahead to see when I would reach one of the battle descriptions and maps. In summary, this is a terrific encyclopedia and ranks as one of the nicest books I have seen on the subject. Superb.