Publisher's Synopsis
Battles of the Ancient World is a comprehensive visual guide to battles of the Ancient era. Arranged chronologically to cover all the major battles of the times, the book includes every major clash of arms over a 2000-year period, from the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II's victory at Kadesh, to the defeat of Atilla and his Hunnic army at Catalaunian Field by the Romans in AD451. Each clash-of-arms is covered in comprehensive detail, with extensive analysis of the broader social and political background to the conflict, a complete description of the battle and thorough post-battle analysis. Full-colour maps of each battle are accompanied by detailed annotations, which helps the reader follow the battles as they unfold. All the maps in this volume have been specially commissioned from an expert cartographer. Every type of battle is covered, demonstrating the many aspects of Ancient warfare, including: the Greek victory over a much larger Persian force at Marathon (490BC), illustrating the power of well-desciplined and well-deployed infantry; Hannibal's victory over the Romans at Trebia (218BC), a result of the Carthaginian's greater tactical acumen; the famous Roman siege of Jewish resistance at Masada (73BC), which was broken only after the defenders had committed mass suicide; and Augustus's famous naval victory over Anthony and Cleopatra's Egyptian forces at Actium (31BC), a victory that had profound political consequences for the future of Rome. This detailed atlas of Ancient battles provides an invaluable work of reference for both the general reader and the serious student of Ancient warfare.
