Land Battles In 5Th Century Bc Greece: A History And Analysis Of 173 Engagements Paperback English by Fred Eugene Ray - 30-Aug-11

Fred Eugene Ray

In the 5th century B.C., Greece was a patchwork country of small, independent city-states whose tendency to fight each other was offset only by strong ties to common cultural elements such as language and a unique style of warfare. While surviving myths emphasize heroics and honor, the reality of ancient Greek warfare was that of regular men dealing with everyday problems. Relying heavily on primary sources such as Herodotus, Thucydides and Plutarch, this volume provides the first-ever tactical level survey of all Greek land engagements which occurred during the 5th century B.C., a seminal period in the history of western warfare. These 173 battles range from the Ionian Revolt to the Persian Invasion to the Great Peloponnesian War which dominated much of 5th century Greece. Using carefully researched logical probabilities to extend surviving records, the author places each battle within its historical context and analyzes it with a view to documenting any significant overall patterns of action. The result is not only a detailed study of each battle complete with maps and battlefield diagrams, but also an overview of general trends in 5th century Greek warfare.

9780786467730

English

McFarland And Co Inc

30-Aug-11

323

Geologist Fred Eugene Ray lives in Bakersfield, California.

Essential...truly a labor of love"--ARBA; amazingly careful research...valuable""--Strategypage; "very valuable""--The NYMAS Review; "the author is to be congratulated on producing a very well-researched book, and telling a clear history of one hundred years of Greek warfare...splendid...I have no hesitation in recommending it to all""--Ancient Warfare; "significant detail""--Reference Reviews.