With Arrow, Sword, and Spear : A History of Warfare in the Ancient World

The other reviews are accurate. I bought the paperback half-price and I'm mildly satisfied. The writing is average, and it does provide a decent overview of military history; but this scope is far too broad and the maps are horrible. They look like they were drawn using a 1980's PC. I only hope the paperback has abbreviated maps and pictures due to formatting differences, otherwise the people who paid $125 for the hardcover should be livid. Perhaps this was the authors attempt at producing an expensive text book for his history class? Hopefully his lectures on the subject are more interesting. Contents......Page 8 Illustrations and Maps......Page 10 Preface......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 PART I. THE ANCIENT EAST......Page 22 1. Civilized War......Page 24 2. The Egyptians......Page 30 3. The Chariot People......Page 34 4. The Egyptian Empire......Page 42 5. Balance of Power......Page 50 6. The Hebrews......Page 54 7. The Assyrians......Page 62 8. The Medes and Chaldaeans......Page 68 9. The Persians......Page 74 PART II. THE GREEKS......Page 82 10. The Greek Way of War......Page 84 11. "Go Tell the Spartans"......Page 90 12. The Peloponnesian (Archidamian) War......Page 100 13. The Peloponnesian (Decelean) War......Page 108 14. The Demise of Hoplite Warfare......Page 116 15. Philip and the Macedonians......Page 122 16. Alexander the Great......Page 130 17. Into India and Beyond......Page 138 PART III. THE EAST......Page 144 18. India: Chandragupta......Page 146 19. China: Spring and Autumn......Page 150 20. China: The Warring States......Page 158 21. China: The Former Han......Page 164 22. China: The Later Han......Page 174 23. The Parthians......Page 180 PART IV. THE ROMAN REPUBLIC......Page 186 24. The Development of the Roman System......Page 188 25. Hannibal......Page 198 26. The Conquest of the Mediterranean......Page 212 27. The Breakdown of the Roman System......Page 220 28. Julius Caesar......Page 230 PART V. THE ROMAN EMPIRE......Page 242 29. The Creation of the Empire......Page 244 30. The Army of Trajan......Page 252 31. The Ascendancy of the Army......Page 260 32. The Awful Third Century......Page 266 33. Reform and Revolution......Page 274 34. The Fall of Rome......Page 284 Afterword......Page 294 Sources......Page 304 A......Page 324 B......Page 325 C......Page 326 G......Page 327 J......Page 328 M......Page 329 P......Page 330 R......Page 331 T......Page 332 Z......Page 333 Most studies of ancient warfare focus only on the Greeks and the Romans, but this sweeping study covers the whole of the ancient world from Greece and Rome to the Near East, then eastward to Parthia, India, and China. Bradford transports the reader into the midst of ancient battles behind such great leaders as Thutmose III, Ashurbanipal, Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the First Emperor of China. He details the rise and fall of empires, the role of leadership, and the development of tactics and strategy. One sees the clash of peoples: nomads against agricultural societies, infantry against cavalry, as well as the greatest technological change in history—the combination of the composite bow and the chariot.This readable account analyzes ancient armies in terms of modern military doctrine, allowing the reader to make comparisons between the combatants. Recruitment, for example, varied tremendously with Romans drawing from a limited pool of recruits for service terms of twenty to thirty years and Chinese planners preferring a large pool with short-term service. While various types of governments prepared for and waged war in significantly different ways, Bradford finds that better organization led to success on the battlefield and that, for the most part, societal innovation was more important than technological innovation. The ongoing discussion of the lessons of ancient warfare around the globe will provide valuable insights for interested general readers and military professionals alike. Most studies of ancient warfare focus only on the Greeks and the Romans, but this sweeping study covers the whole of the ancient world from Greece and Rome to the Near East, then eastward to Parthia, India, and China. Bradford transports the reader into the midst of ancient battles behind such great leaders as Thutmose III, Ashurbanipal, Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the First Emperor of China. He details the rise and fall of empires, the role of leadership, and the development of tactics and strategy. One sees the clash of nomads against agricultural societies, infantry against cavalry, as well as the greatest technological change in historythe combination of the composite bow and the chariot. This readable account analyzes ancient armies in terms of modern military doctrine, allowing the reader to make comparisons between the combatants. Recruitment, for example, varied tremendously with Romans drawing from a limited pool of recruits for service terms of twenty to thirty years and Chinese planners preferring a large pool with short-term service. While various types of governments prepared for and waged war in significantly different ways, Bradford finds that better organization led to success on the battlefield and that, for the most part, societal innovation was more important than technological innovation. The ongoing discussion of the lessons of ancient warfare around the globe will provide valuable insights for interested general readers and military professionals alike. Contents 8 Illustrations and Maps 10 Preface 14 Introduction 16 PART I. THE ANCIENT EAST 22 1. Civilized War 24 2. The Egyptians 30 3. The Chariot People 34 4. The Egyptian Empire 42 5. Balance of Power 50 6. The Hebrews 54 7. The Assyrians 62 8. The Medes and Chaldaeans 68 9. The Persians 74 PART II. THE GREEKS 82 10. The Greek Way of War 84 11. "Go Tell the Spartans" 90 12. The Peloponnesian (Archidamian) War 100 13. The Peloponnesian (Decelean) War 108 14. The Demise of Hoplite Warfare 116 15. Philip and the Macedonians 122 16. Alexander the Great 130 17. Into India and Beyond 138 PART III. THE EAST 144 18. India: Chandragupta 146 19. China: Spring and Autumn 150 20. China: The Warring States 158 21. China: The Former Han 164 22. China: The Later Han 174 23. The Parthians 180 PART IV. THE ROMAN REPUBLIC 186 24. The Development of the Roman System 188 25. Hannibal 198 26. The Conquest of the Mediterranean 212 27. The Breakdown of the Roman System 220 28. Julius Caesar 230 PART V. THE ROMAN EMPIRE 242 29. The Creation of the Empire 244 30. The Army of Trajan 252 31. The Ascendancy of the Army 260 32. The Awful Third Century 266 33. Reform and Revolution 274 34. The Fall of Rome 284 Afterword 294 Sources 304 Index 324 A 324 B 325 C 326 D 327 E 327 F 327 G 327 H 328 I 328 J 328 K 329 L 329 M 329 N 330 O 330 P 330 Q 331 R 331 S 332 T 332 U 333 V 333 W 333 X 333 Y 333 Z 333

describes The Strategies, Battlefield Tactics, Great Commanders, And Technology That Made Success Possible In Ancient Warfare In Greece, Rome, Parthia, India, And China.

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studying Not Only The Histories Of Greece And Rome, But Also The Near East, Parthia, India And China, Bradford (u. Of Oklahoma) Explores The Battles Of The Ancient World, Following Their Changing Relationships With The Rise And Fall Of Empires, The Roles Of Leadership And Technology, And The Developments Of Strategy And Tactics. He Discusses The Differences In The Sociology Of The Groups At War, Including Recruitment And The Various Ways By Which Governments Prepared For War, And Argues That While Technology (particularly The Compound Bow And The Chariot) Lead To Some Victories, It Was More Often The More Organized And Socially Innovative Force Who Found The Ultimate Victories. Heavily Illustrated With Maps And Reproductions Of Art Depicting Ancient Battles And Warriors. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)

"This account analyzes ancient armies in terms of modern military doctrine, allowing the reader to make comparisons between the combatants. Recruitment, for example, varied tremendously with Romans drawing from a limited pool of recruits for service terms of twenty to thirty years and Chinese planners preferring a large pool with short-term service. While various types of governments prepared for and waged war in significantly different ways, Bradford finds that better organization led to success on the battlefield and that, for the most part, societal innovation was more important than technological innovation. The ongoing discussion of the lessons of ancient warfare around the globe will provide valuable insights for interested general readers and military professionals alike."--BOOK JACKET. Most studies of ancient warfare limit their focus to the Greeks and the Romans. With Arrow, Sword, and Spear covers the whole of the ancient world from Greece and Rome to the empires of the Near East (e.g., Assyrian, Persian), then further east to Parthia, India, and China. Author Alfred S. Bradford drops his readers right into the midst of battle, behind such great leaders as Thutmose III, Ashurbanipal, Alexander the Great, Hannibal, Julius Caesar, and the first emperor of China. - Publisher. By the time the Iliad was written, the civilizations of the Near East had been waging organized warfare for more than two thousand years.