Ancient Warfare : A Very Short Introduction

Greek and Roman warfare differed from other cultures and was unlike any other forms of warfare before and after. Greeks and Romans practised a 'Western Way of War', where the aim is an open, decisive battle, won by courage instilled in part by discipline. Harry Sidebottom looks at how and why warfare was contrasted and maintained in this manner by the Greeks and Romans and at if this is, indeed, an accurate interpretation. 

This Very Short Introduction takes examples from the Iliad, Tacitus, and the Persian Wars, to show that any understanding of ancient war is an ongoing process and open to challenges.

Dr Harry Sidebottom is Lecturer in Ancient History at Merton College, Oxford. He is the author of The Mad Emperor: Heliogabalus and Decadence of Rome (2022).

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.