Understanding Ancient Battle

Combat in the Classical World from the Unit Commander's Perspective

Hugh Elton

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2024
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781526753984
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

Uncover the intricacies of ancient warfare from unit commanders' perspectives, with an overview of equipment, tactics, formations, and leadership through detailed case studies, accompanied by expert analysis and illustrations. Traditional military history of battles focussed on the strategies of great leaders, though in modern times many scholars have discussed the 'face of battle', describing the personal experience of the ordinary soldier. But in between, there still lies a major gap in our understanding of ancient combat: the officer's battle. This focuses on how units actually fought and manoeuvred in battle. Hugh Elton seeks to redress this through analysis of the interaction of equipment, morale, leadership, and terrain. After discussing source material and the general model of warfare the author follows, this book outlines by major periods what we know of equipment, organization and tactics, then shows how battle worked in a series of case studies including include Marathon, Issus, Cannae, Cynoscephalae, Mons Graupius, and Adrianople. A total of twenty-four battles are analyzed between the fifth-century BCE and the sixth century CE, covering the wars described by the great historians between Herodotus and Procopius, including accounts written by the soldiers Xenophon, Julius Caesar, and Ammianus Marcellinus.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Notes on Units of Measurements, Names and Ancient Sources
• Note on Terminology
• List of Illustrations
• Preface
• Map of Location of Battles
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 Ancient Battle: An Overview
• Chapter 3 The Classical Greek Period
• Chapter 4 The Hellenistic Period
• Chapter 5 The Second Romano-Punic War
• Chapter 6 The Romano-Macedonian Wars
• Chapter 7 The Late Roman Republic
• Chapter 8 The Early Roman Empire
• Chapter 9 The Later Roman Empire
• Chapter 10 Conclusion
• Further Reading