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Warfare in the Ancient World
Warfare in the Ancient World explores how civilizations and cultures made war on the battlefields of the Near East and Europe between the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia in the late fourth millenium BC and the fall of Rome.
Through a exploration of twenty-six selected battles, military historian Brian Todd Carey surveys the changing tactical relationships between the four weapon systems - heavy and light infantry and hevay and light cavalry - focusing on how shock and missile combat evolved from tentative beginnings in the Bronze Age to the highly developed military organization created by the Romans.
The art of warfare reached a very sophisticated level of development during this three millenia span. Commanders fully realized the tactical capabilities of shock and missile combat in large battlefield situations. Modern principles of war, like the primacy of the offensive, mass, and economy of force, were understood by pre-modern generals and applied on battlefields throughout the period.
Through the use of dozens of multiphase tactical maps, this fascinating introduction to the art of war during western civilization’s ancient and classical periods pulls together the primary and secondary sources and creates a powerful historical narrative. The result is a synthetic work that will be essential reading for students and armchair historians alike.
Through a exploration of twenty-six selected battles, military historian Brian Todd Carey surveys the changing tactical relationships between the four weapon systems - heavy and light infantry and hevay and light cavalry - focusing on how shock and missile combat evolved from tentative beginnings in the Bronze Age to the highly developed military organization created by the Romans.
The art of warfare reached a very sophisticated level of development during this three millenia span. Commanders fully realized the tactical capabilities of shock and missile combat in large battlefield situations. Modern principles of war, like the primacy of the offensive, mass, and economy of force, were understood by pre-modern generals and applied on battlefields throughout the period.
Through the use of dozens of multiphase tactical maps, this fascinating introduction to the art of war during western civilization’s ancient and classical periods pulls together the primary and secondary sources and creates a powerful historical narrative. The result is a synthetic work that will be essential reading for students and armchair historians alike.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
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160 people want to read
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July 25, 2016
A lot of shade has been thrown Carey's way for writing this book. The crux of the critics' arguments is that the scholarship is "unsupported," mostly because of his extensive use of secondary sources in his bibliography.
This is certainly valid from a theoretical perspective. Primary source material is the bedrock of reliable scholarship. But Carey's survey is free from glaring errors, and his brief, referential style has produced an invaluable survey that, when combined with clear maps, battle narration, and a good glossary, is of great utility to amateurs and wargamers who want something to flip through to have the facts at hand.
The field of ancient history is bedeviled by the problem of accessibility. The academic ivory tower appears to be happy to alienate potential audiences in the name of scholarly quality. Because of this position, you see a lot of derision heaped on books like this and Osprey's publications. I argue the opposite. Provided the historians are getting it right (and, from my perspective, they ARE getting it right, even if they're not doing their own translations from the Latin and Greek), then *any* publication that is more accessible than a dry monograph is to be lauded.
I want people to love this subject as much as I do. Carey has taken a step in that direction, and I am grateful to him for it.
This is certainly valid from a theoretical perspective. Primary source material is the bedrock of reliable scholarship. But Carey's survey is free from glaring errors, and his brief, referential style has produced an invaluable survey that, when combined with clear maps, battle narration, and a good glossary, is of great utility to amateurs and wargamers who want something to flip through to have the facts at hand.
The field of ancient history is bedeviled by the problem of accessibility. The academic ivory tower appears to be happy to alienate potential audiences in the name of scholarly quality. Because of this position, you see a lot of derision heaped on books like this and Osprey's publications. I argue the opposite. Provided the historians are getting it right (and, from my perspective, they ARE getting it right, even if they're not doing their own translations from the Latin and Greek), then *any* publication that is more accessible than a dry monograph is to be lauded.
I want people to love this subject as much as I do. Carey has taken a step in that direction, and I am grateful to him for it.
May 4, 2018
The authors (one of whom is a professor at American Military University), have crafted an introductory, yet worthy volume on the evolution of warfare in antiquity. Beginning with the Mesopotamians, and carrying on through to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire this book traces the development of major doctrinal schools of thought in terms of how wars were prosecuted by their states.
The authors make the distinction between the varying forms of tactical force: shock, missile, infantry, etc, and spend the rest of the book discussing how the various states involved succeeded, or failed, in creating a doctrinal system to establish dominance over their opponents.
In the ancient Mideast it was the reliance upon shock through the massed use of chariots that dominated the war fighting of the Bronze Age. However, chariots were incredibly expensive, and once the invasions of the Sea Peoples occurred, around the same time as the collapse of Bronze Age civilization, the chariot had passed from its status as king of the battlefield. The Sea Peoples utilized chariot hunter formations of lightly equipped men who engaged the horses and the charioteers with javelins. Even so, the Assyrians, who were the next power to dominate affairs after the apex of Egypt in the Bronze Age, still held onto large formations of chariots. This despite the fact that the Assyrians, the first state to rely exclusively on iron manufacture for arms and armor, and who also were the inventors of the first true combined arms formations in history (having both heavy and lite infantry, skirmishers, chariots and cavalry as well as advanced and complex siege and engineering equipment).
However, for the Assyrians, their brief usurpers the Babylonians, and their conquerors the Persians, the chariot, despite being a battlefield anachronism, was still a status symbol.
And never doubt the need of a man to show off his place in society by rolling up in a sweet ride.
The Persians were able to master everyone they came across for over a century as their system was the perfect blend of shock and mobility, with a heavy reliance upon skirmish units, to enable them to plow through all opposition from the Nile to the Hindu Kush. All opposition, that is, until they met the Greeks.
The evolution of Greek warfare was infantry reliant, and by the time of the Persian invasions, the Greeks utilized almost exclusively heavy infantry in phalanx formations that were nearly impervious to anything the Persians attempted to throw at them. Over the course of many many decades of intermittent warfare with each other, the Greeks had learned to adapt to Persian ways, and the heavy use of skirmishers and cavalry (though not chariots) were absorbed into the Greek tactical doctrine.
This doctrine was in turn perfected by the Macedonians who would, under Alexander, conquer the Persian Empire and even push beyond the boundaries of Cyrus' kin. Following his death, however, the Hellenistic way of warfare devolved to the point where most Hellenistic warlords relied on mercenary forces, and Hellenistic warfare began to stagnate.
This might have been fine had not the city state of Rome, constantly at war with her neighbors, and constantly adapting, absorbing and evolving from interactions with neighboring cultures and systems, grown to the point where she came into direct contact with the Hellenistic world.
Rome had created the ancient worlds most complex, and effective tactical doctrine with the Manipular Legion (itself further improved upon to become the Cohort Legion under Marius).
When the Legion squared off with the Phalanx it was the far more agile, flexible, and lethal Legion which emerged victorious. Rome would establish an empire that would vastly outpace all the others who had come before and in the process would ensure perhaps the greatest, and longest, period of sustained peace and prosperity in Western history.
However, it was that very same peace and prosperity which led to the devolution of the Roman way of war. An emphasis on defense and a turn more towards mobile warfare over the awesome might of the Legions meant that the era when Rome trained hundreds of thousands of men in the most advanced military training programs in history (themselves not to be outdone until the Germans began to raise armies with similar levels of training in the late 19th century) came to an end. And with it went the effectiveness of the Roman Army.
And with the decline of the Army, so went the Empire and the peace and prosperity it provided.
While the books focus is on doctrine and strategy, it still spends some time discussing weapons systems as well as individual battles and campaigns to highlight the usage of said doctrines.
An excellent primer on ancient warfare and one that I can highly recommend.
The authors make the distinction between the varying forms of tactical force: shock, missile, infantry, etc, and spend the rest of the book discussing how the various states involved succeeded, or failed, in creating a doctrinal system to establish dominance over their opponents.
In the ancient Mideast it was the reliance upon shock through the massed use of chariots that dominated the war fighting of the Bronze Age. However, chariots were incredibly expensive, and once the invasions of the Sea Peoples occurred, around the same time as the collapse of Bronze Age civilization, the chariot had passed from its status as king of the battlefield. The Sea Peoples utilized chariot hunter formations of lightly equipped men who engaged the horses and the charioteers with javelins. Even so, the Assyrians, who were the next power to dominate affairs after the apex of Egypt in the Bronze Age, still held onto large formations of chariots. This despite the fact that the Assyrians, the first state to rely exclusively on iron manufacture for arms and armor, and who also were the inventors of the first true combined arms formations in history (having both heavy and lite infantry, skirmishers, chariots and cavalry as well as advanced and complex siege and engineering equipment).
However, for the Assyrians, their brief usurpers the Babylonians, and their conquerors the Persians, the chariot, despite being a battlefield anachronism, was still a status symbol.
And never doubt the need of a man to show off his place in society by rolling up in a sweet ride.
The Persians were able to master everyone they came across for over a century as their system was the perfect blend of shock and mobility, with a heavy reliance upon skirmish units, to enable them to plow through all opposition from the Nile to the Hindu Kush. All opposition, that is, until they met the Greeks.
The evolution of Greek warfare was infantry reliant, and by the time of the Persian invasions, the Greeks utilized almost exclusively heavy infantry in phalanx formations that were nearly impervious to anything the Persians attempted to throw at them. Over the course of many many decades of intermittent warfare with each other, the Greeks had learned to adapt to Persian ways, and the heavy use of skirmishers and cavalry (though not chariots) were absorbed into the Greek tactical doctrine.
This doctrine was in turn perfected by the Macedonians who would, under Alexander, conquer the Persian Empire and even push beyond the boundaries of Cyrus' kin. Following his death, however, the Hellenistic way of warfare devolved to the point where most Hellenistic warlords relied on mercenary forces, and Hellenistic warfare began to stagnate.
This might have been fine had not the city state of Rome, constantly at war with her neighbors, and constantly adapting, absorbing and evolving from interactions with neighboring cultures and systems, grown to the point where she came into direct contact with the Hellenistic world.
Rome had created the ancient worlds most complex, and effective tactical doctrine with the Manipular Legion (itself further improved upon to become the Cohort Legion under Marius).
When the Legion squared off with the Phalanx it was the far more agile, flexible, and lethal Legion which emerged victorious. Rome would establish an empire that would vastly outpace all the others who had come before and in the process would ensure perhaps the greatest, and longest, period of sustained peace and prosperity in Western history.
However, it was that very same peace and prosperity which led to the devolution of the Roman way of war. An emphasis on defense and a turn more towards mobile warfare over the awesome might of the Legions meant that the era when Rome trained hundreds of thousands of men in the most advanced military training programs in history (themselves not to be outdone until the Germans began to raise armies with similar levels of training in the late 19th century) came to an end. And with it went the effectiveness of the Roman Army.
And with the decline of the Army, so went the Empire and the peace and prosperity it provided.
While the books focus is on doctrine and strategy, it still spends some time discussing weapons systems as well as individual battles and campaigns to highlight the usage of said doctrines.
An excellent primer on ancient warfare and one that I can highly recommend.
December 27, 2025
Overview of Military History in the Ancient World: The Evolution of Combined Arms Warfare
Military history in the ancient world provides a fascinating lens through which to examine the development of warfare, particularly the concept of "combined arms." This approach can be summarized as civilizations adapting their methods of war—through the creation of new units, weapons, and tactics—in response to conflicts and encounters with other societies. These interactions inevitably inspired innovations in the art of war, leading to a dynamic evolution of military strategies.
Early Developments in the Ancient Near East
In the early ancient Near East, chariot warfare dominated the battlefield. Nobles, serving as elite chariot warriors, represented the most lethal and prestigious force in an army. However, infantry remained the primary resource due to its sheer numbers and accessibility compared to the limited availability of chariots. This chariot-centric model was eventually challenged during the Bronze Age collapse by the "Sea Peoples." These invaders demonstrated an organized and efficient style of warfare, relying on mobile, numerous light infantry armed with effective javelins. Their tactics prevented chariots from engaging effectively by exploiting mobility and ranged attacks, starkly contrasting the traditional use of infantry in the Near East as static or supportive forces. The rise of cavalry and expanded use of horses further accelerated these changes, marking a pivotal shift in early warfare.
Key Empires and the Perfection of Combined Arms
Ancient warfare can be analyzed through the lens of its great military empires and innovations, such as those of Persia, Rome, and Macedonia. These powers influenced one another, adapting borrowed elements to specialize and refine their own combined arms doctrines. The greater a civilization's ability to adapt and respond to unfamiliar styles of warfare, the more likely it was to defeat rivals and achieve dominance in the ancient world.
The book vividly illustrates this "clash of arts of war." For instance, it describes the shock and confusion experienced by veterans of Philip II of Macedon's army when facing the Roman gladius Hispaniensis (a short sword adapted from Iberian designs). As quoted:
"When they had seen bodies chopped to pieces by the gladius Hispaniensis, arms torn away, shoulders and all, or heads separated from the bodies, with the necks completely severed, or vitals laid open, and other fearful wounds, realized in a general panic with what weapons and what men they had to fight."
Ultimately, as history shows, the Romans defeated the Macedonians and Greeks. The book includes numerous other examples demonstrating that superior adaptation in combined arms often translated to battlefield dominance.
My primary criticism of the book is its reference/basis, especially toward the end, on the "Western Way of War" thesis. This concept, popularized by Victor Davis Hanson, is no longer considered historically accurate by most contemporary military historians. Hanson's arguments lack credibility in light of modern scholarship, and I found the book's presentation of them unconvincing.
Military history in the ancient world provides a fascinating lens through which to examine the development of warfare, particularly the concept of "combined arms." This approach can be summarized as civilizations adapting their methods of war—through the creation of new units, weapons, and tactics—in response to conflicts and encounters with other societies. These interactions inevitably inspired innovations in the art of war, leading to a dynamic evolution of military strategies.
Early Developments in the Ancient Near East
In the early ancient Near East, chariot warfare dominated the battlefield. Nobles, serving as elite chariot warriors, represented the most lethal and prestigious force in an army. However, infantry remained the primary resource due to its sheer numbers and accessibility compared to the limited availability of chariots. This chariot-centric model was eventually challenged during the Bronze Age collapse by the "Sea Peoples." These invaders demonstrated an organized and efficient style of warfare, relying on mobile, numerous light infantry armed with effective javelins. Their tactics prevented chariots from engaging effectively by exploiting mobility and ranged attacks, starkly contrasting the traditional use of infantry in the Near East as static or supportive forces. The rise of cavalry and expanded use of horses further accelerated these changes, marking a pivotal shift in early warfare.
Key Empires and the Perfection of Combined Arms
Ancient warfare can be analyzed through the lens of its great military empires and innovations, such as those of Persia, Rome, and Macedonia. These powers influenced one another, adapting borrowed elements to specialize and refine their own combined arms doctrines. The greater a civilization's ability to adapt and respond to unfamiliar styles of warfare, the more likely it was to defeat rivals and achieve dominance in the ancient world.
The book vividly illustrates this "clash of arts of war." For instance, it describes the shock and confusion experienced by veterans of Philip II of Macedon's army when facing the Roman gladius Hispaniensis (a short sword adapted from Iberian designs). As quoted:
"When they had seen bodies chopped to pieces by the gladius Hispaniensis, arms torn away, shoulders and all, or heads separated from the bodies, with the necks completely severed, or vitals laid open, and other fearful wounds, realized in a general panic with what weapons and what men they had to fight."
Ultimately, as history shows, the Romans defeated the Macedonians and Greeks. The book includes numerous other examples demonstrating that superior adaptation in combined arms often translated to battlefield dominance.
My primary criticism of the book is its reference/basis, especially toward the end, on the "Western Way of War" thesis. This concept, popularized by Victor Davis Hanson, is no longer considered historically accurate by most contemporary military historians. Hanson's arguments lack credibility in light of modern scholarship, and I found the book's presentation of them unconvincing.
July 28, 2019
I enjoyed how this book traces the development of discipline, armor, weapon, and tactical engagement systems. The importance of varying and incorporating different troop types (mounted, light infantry, archers, etc) is also visibly significant both in historical and strategies for winning battles and war, and Carey provides excellent developmental overviews.
The book is targeted in a general history of warfare from ancient Egypt to Rome. This does not leave much for specific and in-depth discussion given length. However, it is an excellent primer and is a good stand alone if you are interested in the topic or how armies developed either in response to invaders or internal responses such as need for increased discipline.
The book is targeted in a general history of warfare from ancient Egypt to Rome. This does not leave much for specific and in-depth discussion given length. However, it is an excellent primer and is a good stand alone if you are interested in the topic or how armies developed either in response to invaders or internal responses such as need for increased discipline.
December 15, 2025
If I were being picky, I would rate it 4.5 stars instead of 5. In overall, nicely written. Easy to follow. Good translation explanation of the old names. Battle maps are presented within the appropriate sections. Perfect length. The "snippets" at the beginning of the chapter are probably the not-so-great part.
March 7, 2019
An excellent and concise survey of military evolution. A great starting point for anyone interested in the subject.
September 19, 2019
Pretty good work, but at times simplistic. Questionably leaves out the siege of Tyre when discussing the evolution of siege warfare.
July 18, 2021
Eh. Probably not bad for a middle school kid getting interested in the subject. Great to keep on your phone to read while in waiting rooms or on line.
September 4, 2022
Decent basic introduction to Ancient Near Eastern and European warfare.
June 9, 2025
Informative and entertaining.
September 1, 2015
"Warfare in the Ancient World" Is a book that not only explains warfare but WHY certain events took place in warfare during the ancient period. It goes from the depth of the ancient Sumerians to the late Roman empire, a period of roughly several thousands years, in one book. Though this may seem like a deep, dry read but if anything, it does the exact opposite. Carey does what most historians have problems with and that is, making history not a fact dump. While a population of readers enjoy fact dumps about history at times (such as myself) it definitely makes things interesting and constantly different.
----In Depth Review Part----
The first thing Carey does is every time a new form of warfare is introduced, he not only goes into how they fought but also why they did. What makes this part interesting is his depth in the "how" part. Not only does he describe the arms and armor, but why the had those arms and armor as well as variations of these arms and armor. About half of the Egyptian/Sumerian way of waging warfare was entirely based on the war chariot. Not only was the material in which chariots were made of described, but how they were (ex. the chariot spokes were further up on the chariot carriage or farther back, depending the nationality). Lastly, he also described the origins of the arms and armor, making even a very well educated military historian finding themselves learning something.
The second and big aspect of the book is the battles. Battles are a big deal in warfare, and he definitely does not shy away from presenting the reader in which tactics and these arms and armor of ancient civilizations were used. Battles are talked about in depth, with multiple diagrams and maps used to illustrate what exactly was happening in the battle from a birds eye view, so to aid the reader. Above these battles though are the wars that these battles take place in. Corey doesn't avoid explaining reasons for wars and conflicts in the ancient world, making this part of his book very smooth as at points he goes into narrative about the wars, famous generals and characters and of course, the battles.
Though both of these things last described are both excellent things that many books need, I must warn the potential reader that it is a very dense book. This book was written with the intent that military students would use these for papers and future tactical situations. BUT: Don't be discouraged just because it is dense. You end up learning a lot more than you expect to. I myself was shocked on how much I learned and how I gained a greater understanding on what warfare in the ancient world was really like, and how it effects todays style of warfare.
Overall, the book was greatly enjoyable. I would highly recommend this to any history enthusiast or aspiring historian as it is a solid read with endless facts and knowledge that a reader cannot find everywhere. With the combined knowledge of how battles and wars were fought to the miniscule details of how armor and arms were used, I very much recommend this book for anybody looking for an in depth, challenging history read.
----In Depth Review Part Over----
BRIEF REVIEW: "Warfare in the Ancient World" Is a very solid read that challenges the reader with depth and knowledge that isn't found in many overall ancient military books. It takes time where it needs to; describing wars and reasons for why they happened, battles- the famous generals and armies involved - explaining maneuvers and placements, explaining why one side won and the other didn't. Also going into detail on every ancient nations way of waging war with the weapons and armor they used. With all that said, I would very much recommend this to any Aspiring historian, military historian or someone looking for a challenging read.
----In Depth Review Part----
The first thing Carey does is every time a new form of warfare is introduced, he not only goes into how they fought but also why they did. What makes this part interesting is his depth in the "how" part. Not only does he describe the arms and armor, but why the had those arms and armor as well as variations of these arms and armor. About half of the Egyptian/Sumerian way of waging warfare was entirely based on the war chariot. Not only was the material in which chariots were made of described, but how they were (ex. the chariot spokes were further up on the chariot carriage or farther back, depending the nationality). Lastly, he also described the origins of the arms and armor, making even a very well educated military historian finding themselves learning something.
The second and big aspect of the book is the battles. Battles are a big deal in warfare, and he definitely does not shy away from presenting the reader in which tactics and these arms and armor of ancient civilizations were used. Battles are talked about in depth, with multiple diagrams and maps used to illustrate what exactly was happening in the battle from a birds eye view, so to aid the reader. Above these battles though are the wars that these battles take place in. Corey doesn't avoid explaining reasons for wars and conflicts in the ancient world, making this part of his book very smooth as at points he goes into narrative about the wars, famous generals and characters and of course, the battles.
Though both of these things last described are both excellent things that many books need, I must warn the potential reader that it is a very dense book. This book was written with the intent that military students would use these for papers and future tactical situations. BUT: Don't be discouraged just because it is dense. You end up learning a lot more than you expect to. I myself was shocked on how much I learned and how I gained a greater understanding on what warfare in the ancient world was really like, and how it effects todays style of warfare.
Overall, the book was greatly enjoyable. I would highly recommend this to any history enthusiast or aspiring historian as it is a solid read with endless facts and knowledge that a reader cannot find everywhere. With the combined knowledge of how battles and wars were fought to the miniscule details of how armor and arms were used, I very much recommend this book for anybody looking for an in depth, challenging history read.
----In Depth Review Part Over----
BRIEF REVIEW: "Warfare in the Ancient World" Is a very solid read that challenges the reader with depth and knowledge that isn't found in many overall ancient military books. It takes time where it needs to; describing wars and reasons for why they happened, battles- the famous generals and armies involved - explaining maneuvers and placements, explaining why one side won and the other didn't. Also going into detail on every ancient nations way of waging war with the weapons and armor they used. With all that said, I would very much recommend this to any Aspiring historian, military historian or someone looking for a challenging read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2011
It's an OK introduction to the topic and covers in brief chapters first civilizations, ancient Egypt, classical civilizations of Middle East (Assyria, Persia), military developement in Greece (from proto-hoplites to fully developed phalanx) and evolution of Roman legion. Covered material is very eurocentric and ignores almost completely the so called barbarians (Celtic and Germanic nations), steppe people (such as Alans, Sarmatians or Huns) and developements in Parthian/Sassanid empires and China. Also, when the author moves past the first century of imperial Rome, he makes the very common mistake and starts to explain the reasons for decline of Roman empire instead of sticking to the topic and describing how the legion transformed through the centuries.
Readers that are familiar with this subject won't find much of interest in this book, since its content is mostly condensed rehash of material allready covered very well in other works. Because of that, I would say that this book most suitable as a possible starting point for people new to the subject. However, I'd still recommend John Warry's 'Warfare in Classical World' as a better introduction to this topic.
All in all, an average book written in unengaging style. There is however one strong reason why I would recommend you to get this book - it has an excellent reference section, which can be used for selection of books in further studies.
Readers that are familiar with this subject won't find much of interest in this book, since its content is mostly condensed rehash of material allready covered very well in other works. Because of that, I would say that this book most suitable as a possible starting point for people new to the subject. However, I'd still recommend John Warry's 'Warfare in Classical World' as a better introduction to this topic.
All in all, an average book written in unengaging style. There is however one strong reason why I would recommend you to get this book - it has an excellent reference section, which can be used for selection of books in further studies.
July 11, 2014
Great resource for those interested in the history of warfare, ancient civilizations, and classical Greece and Rome. I read it as a crash course in military history in order to prepare myself to write more convincing battle scenes. The focus is on battles and mid-level tactics, with some attention to individual commanders (like Hannibal, Caesar, Alexander, etc.) with less emphasis on grand strategy (as in a plan for the entire war) or individual fighting techniques. 26 battles are described in some detail. There is a great deal of information about the advantages of specific weapon systems (spearmen, archers, cavalry, etc.).
Very readable; appropriate for total novices as well as those with some expertise of military history. If there is a downside, it is that the focus is solely on the Western or Mediterranean world. Some discussion of ancient China, in particular, would have been welcome, if only as a point of contrast.
Very readable; appropriate for total novices as well as those with some expertise of military history. If there is a downside, it is that the focus is solely on the Western or Mediterranean world. Some discussion of ancient China, in particular, would have been welcome, if only as a point of contrast.
November 8, 2013
I'm tossed between rating this two or three stars, and that's largely because the e-book publication is abysmal. Rather than display individual tactical maps that I would be able to actually see on my e-reader, these were instead presented as a composite image with four or more maps squeezed into the display. Rather than give in to some latent masochistic tendencies, I set aside the e-reader for this one and read it on a computer instead. But given how often I actually make the effort to read on the computer, this book took me over a year to actually get through.
As for the actual content, it's definitely a classroom textbook. There are plenty of logical gaps which would undoubtedly be filled in during the lecture, but that's not much help for the average reader. It also follows the classical Western progression of civilisation, so we hear next to nothing about military developments outside of that tradition.
As for the actual content, it's definitely a classroom textbook. There are plenty of logical gaps which would undoubtedly be filled in during the lecture, but that's not much help for the average reader. It also follows the classical Western progression of civilisation, so we hear next to nothing about military developments outside of that tradition.
May 27, 2012
Professor Carey's first volume of his two-volume history of warfare in western civilization does a great job exploring how civilizations and cultures made war in the period between the rise of civilization in Mesopotamia around 3000 BC and the fall of Rome fifteen hundred years ago. This was a period when warfare became sophisticated, with strategies including shock and missile tactics and involving approaches still used today. Carey's tactical maps chart the development of tactics, while the introduction to the era uses primary and secondary sources to reconstruct the history of the age. This a very strong selection for military history collections.
December 4, 2013
This is a very general introduction to warfare in the ancient world. In order to write a treatise on ancient warfare, the author relied mostly on extant secondary literature (and often older titles to boot). The primary sources are seldom referenced and there are a few errors and curious omissions, perhaps borne out of a need to briefly summarize such a vast span of history. Nevertheless, it may serve as a useful introduction to the topic for someone who knows virtually nothing about it, and the maps and diagrams are clear and informative.
February 7, 2017
It's a good primer on a very broad subject and huge span of years. I would say that this is best suited to someone looking for an overview in order to find a specific area of interest for further reading. All in all, not bad. Brian Todd Carey is a Professor at American Military University and this is a class text for Ancient Military History.
January 1, 2014
This is a decent book. It was actually the first time I have seen a description of what differentiated the Macedonian army from the other Greek states or what made the Roman legions so effective. Where it lacks is the descriptions of the battles which are short with very little back story in some cases
January 17, 2017
An excellent overview of tactical changes through the ancient world and when it sticks to tactical descriptions it's a 4/5 star book. Unfortunately the score is marred by the ridiculous adherence to Hanson's The Western Way of War and the regular divergence into proselytising Hanson's theory without even the remotest attempt at justification.
June 5, 2014
As a survey of military history meant for a classroom, it works. The formatting is not ideal, especially as an e-book, but the information gives a solid picture of how warfighting has evolved in Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa.
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