The Greeks at War: From Athens to Alexander (Essential Histories Specials)

The story of a small town that rose to become the most powerful empire of the ancient world has been an inspiration to generations of people. Even after the collapse of the Roman Empire, many nations and their leaders have styled themselves 'heirs of Rome', emulating its society, technology and warfare. This book details the wars that shaped the Roman Empire, from the Gallic Wars of Julius Caesar and the subsequent civil war between Caesar and Pompey which tore apart the ageing Republic, through the expansion of the early Empire to its 'decline and fall'. Contains material previously published in Essential Histories 21: ‘Rome at War’, Essential Histories 43: ‘Caesar's Gallic Wars’ and Essential Histories 42: ‘Caesar's Civil War’. Foreword: Caesar's legacy and its twilight by Steven Saylor 7 Chronology 9 Introduction 14 Part I: Caesar's Gallic Wars 58-50 BC by Kate Giliver Background to war - Building an empire 22 Warring sides - Discipline vs. spectacle 30 Outbreak - The migration of the Helvetii 42 The fighting - Invasion, siege and conquest 45 Portrait of a soldier - Caesar's centurions 78 The world around war -The impact of the conflict 81 Portrait of a civilian Roman merchants 92 How the war ended - Roman triumphs 95 Conclusion and consequences - Pax Romana 101 Part II: Caesar's Civil War 49-44 BC by Adrian Goldsworthy Background to war - The First Triumvirate 106 Warring sides - Legion against legion 112 Outbreak - Crossing the Rubicon 118 The fighting - Civil War 123 Portrait of a soldier Caesar's legionaries 156 The world around war - A Mediterranean war 161 Portrait of a civilian - Cicero and the Civil War 166 How the war ended -The Ides of March 170 Conclusions and consequences - Civil wars and the end of the Republic 176 The early Empire by Michael Whitby 183 Part III: Rome at War AD 293-696 by Michael Whitby Introduction 200 Warring sides - Inside and outside the empire 203 Outbreak - Creating crisis 211 The fighting - Challenges to empire 218 Portraits of soldiers - Brothers in arms 246 The world around war - Impact of conflict 251 Portraits of civilians - Notable individuals 261 How the war ended - Making new boundaries 265 Conclusion and consequences - Roman legacies 270 Further reading 276 Index 279 Inspiring generations of poets, novelists, scriptwriters and scholars, the rise and fall of the great Empires of the Classical world is an enthralling story of passion and conquest. The leaders, battles and military technologies that dominated the wars between Greece and Persia, and Alexander's conquests are all examined in detail in this book, and their historical significance is discussed. The appendix focuses on the modern treatment of Ancient Greece in film, including behind-the-scenes insights into the filming of battle scenes for Oliver Stone's epic movie, Alexander. This volume combines material previously published as Essential Histories 36, 27 and 26, with a new foreword by renowned historian and author Victor Davis Hanson, and new material on the Wars of the Successors. The authors examines the rise and fall of the great empires of the classical world. This volume contains material previously published in the "Essential Histories" series as well as a new chapter focusing on the modern treatment of ancient Greece in film and theatre. The enquiries of the Greek historian Herodotus into the wars between the Greeks and the Persians led him to conclude that their origins lay in the rise to power of the Persian Empire under the first of the Achaemenid kings, Kyros the Great. Examines the battles, leaders, and military technologies that dominated the wars during the time of the Roman Empire and discusses the legacy of Julius Caesar Greek and Persian wars 449-386 BC Peloponnesian war 431-404 BC Wars of Alexander the Great 336-323 BC. Although originally a monarchy, Rome had become a republic near the end of the sixth century BC.