Publisher's Synopsis
In this book, James Tyrell provides a fresh approach to all aspects of ancient warfare, from the philosophy surrounding it, to the strategy and the technical skills needed to fight. He looks at war in the wider context to illustrate how individual wars shaped classical society and how it constructed people's identity. He also explores the ways in which ancient society thought about conflict: can a war be just? Why was siege warfare particularly bloody? What role did divine intervention play in the outcome of a battle? Taking fascinating examples from the Iliad, Tascitus, and the Persian Wars, Tyrell, uses arresting anecdotes and striking visual images to show that the understanding of ancient war is an on-going process of interpretation.
