PublishedPen & Sword Books, September 2016 |
ISBN9781473827295 |
FormatHardcover |
Dimensions23.4cm × 15.6cm |
This book presents a selection of eighteen land battles and sieges that span the Classical Greek period, from the Persian invasions to the eclipse of the traditional hoplite heavy infantry at the hands of the Macedonians. This of course is the golden age of the hoplite phalanx but Owen Rees is keen to cover all aspects of battle, including mercenary armies and the rise of light infantry, emphasising the variety and tactical developments across the period.
Each battle is set in context with a brief background and then the battlefield and opposing forces are discussed before the narrative and analysis of the fighting is given and rounded off with consideration of the aftermath and strategic implications. Written in an accessible narrative tone, a key feature of the book is the author's choice of battles, which collectively challenge popularly held beliefs such as the invincibility of the Spartans. The text is well supported by dozens of tactical diagrams showing deployments and various phase of the battles. AUTHOR: Owen Rees is a freelance historian, writer and researcher, as well as an assistant editor to Sparta: Journal of Ancient Spartan and Greek History. He studied Ancient History at the University of Reading and History (Research) at the University of Nottingham. He is a regular contributor to Ancient Warfare magazine. SELLING POINTS: . Gives a clear narrative for 18 selected battles and sieges from the Classical Greek period. . The battles are selected for their historical significance and tactical interest and include some surprising choices alongside famous battles like Marathon. . Taken together they offer an excellent overview of tactics in the golden age of the Greek hoplite and phalanx warfare, highlighting variety and development over the period. . Each chapter gives context of the battle then discusses the battlefield, opposing armies, the course of the battle and finally the aftermath . Over 50 tactical diagrams support the text, showing various phases of the battles
