Books : Warfare in the Classical World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Weapons, Warriors, and Warfare in the Ancient Civilizations of Greece and Rome
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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 355.00938
EAN num: 9780312856144
ISBN number: 0312856148
Label: St Martins Pr
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
Page Count: 224
Printing Date: 1981-07
Publishing house: St Martins Pr
Sale Popularity Level: 1728340
Studio: St Martins Pr
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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This book is a useful reference work for anyone interested in ancient or military history. It is well written and highly entertaining. The book covers warfare from ancient Greece and Persia, through the world of Alexander, to that of the Roman Empire. Each chapter discusses the ancient sources upon which that chapter is based, the political situation of the time, weapons and tactics used, and some of the important battles of the period. The book is thus a good review of ancient history (but far from a detailed or comprehensive one) and a good review of the military history of the ancient world. There is a lot of information that is not readily available in other sources (such as the evolution of the Phalanx and the changing size of a Roman Legion.) Naval warfare is discussed as well as land warfare. My only criticism is a lack of any illustrative material of any kind. The book is also a little weak when it comes to the fall of the Roman Empire. (This period is covered, but not in as much detail as earlier epochs.)
Rated by buyers 
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This is a wonderful book. It reads well and has superb illustrations of the fighting men and their weapons. It gives one a real feel of the era and the men who fought in them. It is also not too long and doesn't bore you with dry detail. Of course it is not as detailed as the serious studies on the eras such as Webster's and Bohec's studies of the Imperial Roman Army but then again it is not meant to be. It accomplishes what it sets out to do which is put you in the basic know on warfare in ancient Greece and Rome and also has much detail on their respective foes such as the Persians, Scythians, Gauls etc. However I still don't understand why it is termed an encyclopedia since it doesn't follow the standard alphabetical format (although an encyclopedia doesn't necessarily have to...I was just wondering?). Great book anyway and well worth the purchase. Peter Connelly's book "Greece and Rome at War" is also in the same vein but somehow I still prefer this one.
Rated by buyers -
A very well researched and clearly written account from
Homeric times to the fall of Rome. The text is consise
and excellently illustrated. Tactics and the political
background to military strategy are discussed in depth,
and pointers to original and secondary sources provided.
The sections on siege and naval warfare are particularly
good.
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