Soldiers and ghosts : a history of battle in classical antiquity

What set the successful armies of Sparta, Macedon, and Rome apart from those they defeated? In this major new history of battle from the age of Homer through the decline of the Roman empire, J. E. Lendon surveys a millennium of warfare to discover how militaries change—and don’t change—and how an army’s greatness depends on its use of the past. Noting this was an age that witnessed few technological advances, J. E. Lendon shows us that the most successful armies were those that made the most effective use of cultural tradition. Ancient combat moved forward by looking backward for inspiration—the Greeks, to Homer; the Romans, to the Greeks and to their own heroic past. The best ancient armies recruited soldiers from societies with strong competitive traditions; and the best ancient leaders, from Alexander to Julius Caesar, called upon those traditions to encourage ferocious competition at every rank. Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 B.C. through Julian’s invasion of Persia in A.D. 363, __Soldiers and Ghosts__ brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition—ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it.

A major new history of battle in the ancient world, from the age of Homer through the decline of the Roman empire.

What set the successful armies of Sparta, Macedon, and Rome apart from those they defeated? In this major new history of battle from the age of Homer through the decline of the Roman empire, J. E. Lendon surveys a millennium of warfare to discover how militaries change - and don't change - and how an army's greatness depends on its use of the past.

Noting this was an age that witnessed few technological advances, J. E. Lendon shows us that the most successful armies were those that made the most effective use of cultural tradition. Ancient combat moved forward by looking backward for inspiration - the Greeks, to Homer; the Romans, to the Greeks and to their own heroic past. The best ancient armies recruited soldiers from societies with strong competitive traditions; and the best ancient leaders, from Alexander to Julius Caesar, called upon those traditions to encourage ferocious competition at every rank.

Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 B.C. through Julian's invasion of Persia in A.D. 363, Soldiers and Ghosts brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition - ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it.

Sparta, Macedon, and Rome - how did these nations come to dominate the ancient world? What set their armies apart? Noting this was an age that witnessed few technological advances, J.E. Lendon shows us that the most successful armies were those that made the most effective use of cultural tradition. Ancient combat moved forward by looking backward for inspiration - the Greeks, to Homer; the Romans, to the Greeks and to their own heroic past. The best ancient armies recruited soldiers from societies with strong competitive traditions; and the best ancient leaders, such as Alexander to Julius Caesar, called upon those traditions to encourage ferocious competition at every rank. Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 B.C. through Julian's invasion of Persia in 363 A.D., Soldiers and Ghosts brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition - ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it Sparta, Macedon, and Rome—how did these nations come to dominate the ancient world? What set their armies apart? Noting this was an age that witnessed few technological advances, J. E. Lendon shows us that the most successful armies were those that made the most effective use of cultural tradition. Ancient combat moved forward by looking backward for inspiration—the Greeks, to Homer; the Romans, to the Greeks and to their own heroic past. The best ancient armies recruited soldiers from societies with strong competitive traditions; and the best ancient leaders, from Alexander to Julius Caesar, called upon those traditions to encourage ferocious competition at every rank.Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 B.C. through Julian’s invasion of Persia in A.D. 363, Soldiers and Ghosts brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition—ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it. Contents......Page 8 Maps......Page 10 Figures......Page 12 Prologue......Page 14 Introduction......Page 18 THE GREEKS......Page 28 I. Fighting in the Iliad......Page 33 II. The Last Hoplite......Page 52 III. Two Stubborn Spartans in the Persian War......Page 71 IV. The Guile of Delium......Page 91 V. The Arts of War in the Early Fourth Century BC......Page 104 VI. Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus......Page 128 VII. Hellenistic Warfare (323–31 BC)......Page 153 The Greeks, Conclusion......Page 169 THE ROMANS......Page 176 VIII. Early Roman Warfare......Page 185 IX. The Wrath of Pydna......Page 206 X. Caesar’s Centurions and the Legion of Cohorts......Page 225 XI. Scenes from the Jewish War, AD 67–70......Page 246 XII. Shield Wall and Mask......Page 274 XIII. Julian in Persia, AD 363......Page 303 The Romans, Conclusion......Page 323 Author’s Note and Acknowledgments......Page 330 Chronology of Greek and Roman Warfare......Page 334 List of Abbreviations......Page 344 Notes......Page 348 Glossary......Page 402 Bibliographical Notes......Page 406 Index......Page 454 9780300106633 Contents 8 Maps 10 Figures 12 Prologue 14 Introduction 18 THE GREEKS 28 I. Fighting in the Iliad 33 II. The Last Hoplite 52 III. Two Stubborn Spartans in the Persian War 71 IV. The Guile of Delium 91 V. The Arts of War in the Early Fourth Century BC 104 VI. Alexander the Great at the Battle of Issus 128 VII. Hellenistic Warfare (323–31 BC) 153 The Greeks, Conclusion 169 THE ROMANS 176 VIII. Early Roman Warfare 185 IX. The Wrath of Pydna 206 X. Caesar’s Centurions and the Legion of Cohorts 225 XI. Scenes from the Jewish War, AD 67–70 246 XII. Shield Wall and Mask 274 XIII. Julian in Persia, AD 363 303 The Romans, Conclusion 323 Author’s Note and Acknowledgments 330 Chronology of Greek and Roman Warfare 334 List of Abbreviations 344 Notes 348 Glossary 402 Bibliographical Notes 406 Index 454 #,Publisher:,Yale,University,Press,#,Number,Of,Pages:,480,#,Publication,Date:,2005-06-15,#,ISBN-10,/,ASIN:,0300106637 "Ranging from the Battle of Champions between Sparta and Argos in 550 BC through Julian's invasion of Persia in 363 AD, Soldiers and Ghosts brings to life the most decisive military contests of ancient Greece and Rome. J.E. Lendon places these battles, and the methods by which they were fought, in a sweeping narrative of ancient military history. On every battlefield, living soldiers fought alongside the ghosts of tradition - ghosts that would inspire greatness for almost a millennium before ultimately coming to stifle it."--Jacket. They built long citadels, the eldest of the Greeks, and they built them low and strong, not thrusting into the sky but clinging to the rocks, with walls of great stones piled up and cisterns dug deep. J.e. Lendon. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 393-440) And Index.