Ancient Military

Paul Cartledge, one of the world's foremost scholars of ancient Greece, illuminates the brief but iconic life of Alexander (356-323 B.C.), king of Macedon, conqueror of the Persian Empire, and founder of a new world order. Alexander's legacy has had a major impact on military tacticians, scholars, statesmen, adventurers, authors, and filmmakers.

“Superb....Augustus is a first-rate popular biography by a skilled and knowing hand.” (Washington Post) Caesar Augustus created the Roman Empire and forever associated the name Caesar with power. Heir to Julius Caesar, he thrust himself into the middle of Roman politics at its most violent...

In Ancient Battles That Changed the Course of History, military historian Korey Blathewick delivers a sweeping, gripping account of ten legendary clashes that shaped the destiny of civilizations. This book explores the pivotal turning points of the ancient world—where strategy, courage, geography, and sheer willpower decided the fate of empires, the rise of new political orders, and the values that would echo into modern history.

When Alexander the Great died at thirty-two, he left behind the largest empire the world had ever seen — and no plan for what came next. His generals — the Diadochi, the "Successors" — spent the next forty years tearing each other apart in wars more dramatic and consequential than Alexander's own conquests. An eighty-one-year-old one-eyed general charging into his last battle. A siege engineer who built towers taller than city walls. A pragmatist who stole Alexander's corpse and built a dynasty that lasted three centuries. A political operator who murdered an entire royal family to ...

It was a time of revolution. The Roman Revolution describes the little known "crisis of the third century", and how it led to a revolutionary new Roman Empire. Long before the more famous collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, in the years between AD 235-275, barbarian invasions, civil war, and plague devastated ancient Rome.

In the shadowed marble halls of Rome’s power, Sejunus Strabol Junius, the illegitimate son of a legendary Praetorian guard, is thrust into a deadly game of politics, deception, and honor. Torn between loyalty to the empire and the haunting legacy of his father, Sejunus navigates treacherous Senate intrigues, brutal gladiatorial spectacles, and the deadly purges of the Praetorian Guard. From the bustling streets of the Forum to secret tunnels beneath the Palatine Hill, The Praetorian Guardsman delivers a riveting tale of political conspiracy, forbidden alliances, and heart-stopping action....

Military Strategy Classics of Ancient China presents modern translations of eight of the most important and relevant military texts from antiquity, which have gained new prominence among Western students of Eastern military strategy and philosophy. In a collection spanning twenty centuries, each text in Chen Song’s groundbreaking translation is presented in modern English, followed by Chinese characters. These texts provide background for a wide range of disciplines, including history, linguistics, wuxia, martial arts, business and legal doctrine. Contents include: The Six Secret ...

From an award-winning historian, the definitive history of classical Greece and the rivalry between its two greatest cities. No period has more profoundly influenced the Western world than classical Greece, and at its center stood two cities: Athens and Sparta. Side by side, they beat the...

More than 2,000 years ago one of the greatest military leaders in history almost destroyed Rome. Hannibal, a daring African general from the city of Carthage, led an army of warriors and battle elephants over the snowy Alps to invade the very heart of Rome's growing empire. But what kind of person would dare to face the most relentless imperial power of the ancient world? How could Hannibal, consistently outnumbered and always deep in enemy territory, win battle after battle until he held the very fate of Rome within his grasp?

Before cannons shook city walls and before railways moved armies, strategy was already taking shape. In Ancient Military Strategies, you will enter the battlefields of the ancient world—not as a spectator, but as a decision maker. Across land, river, and sea, early civilizations developed systems of warfare that still shape military thinking today. You will hear how irrigation disputes created organized armies, how disciplined formations neutralized superior numbers, how rivers became strategic lifelines, and how deception exploited belief and misbelief. This audiobook does not dramatize war.

One of the most profound studies of warfare ever written, The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China presents us with an Eastern tradition of strategic thought that emphasizes outwitting one's opponent through speed, stealth, flexibility, and a minimum of force - an approach very different from that stressed in the West, where the advantages of brute strength have overshadowed more subtle methods.

Earth already had its apocalypse. Humanity barely survived it. Unfortunately for Major Ethan Irons, that was just the warm-up act. When the scattered remnants of humanity stumble into a much larger problem—namely a galaxy locked in a brutal, centuries-old war—Ethan finds himself promoted from “guy trying to keep a few thousand survivors alive” to “unwilling participant in an interstellar disaster.” Now he’s stuck negotiating with suspicious alien powers, dodging fleets that can vaporize planets for breakfast, and relying heavily on a sarcastic AI who believes Ethan’s ...

The Spartans of ancient Greece were a powerful and unique people, radically different from any civilization before or since. A society of warrior-heroes, they were living exemplars of self-sacrifice, community endeavor, and achievement against all odds, qualities that today signify the ultimate in heroism. Scholars even believe that Thomas More had Sparta specifically in mind when he coined the term "Utopia".

The War of the Three Gods is a military history of the Near and Middle East in the seventh century - with its chief focus on the reign of the Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius (AD 610-641) - a pivotal and dramatic time in world history. The Eastern Roman Empire was brought to the very brink of extinction by the Sassanid Persians before Heraclius managed to inflict a crushing defeat on the Sassanids with a desperate, final gambit.

The Echo of Ancient Civilizations, a Book by Bo Carson, is an indispensable guide for anyone seeking to walk in the path of the ancient world. With a masterful combination of scholarship and readability, retrace the rise and fall of civilizations from the earliest times to the Roman Empire. This book is a must-read for students of history, anthropology, and archaeology, as well as anyone with a passion for the rich tapestry of human culture. Whether you're looking to deepen your knowledge or explore a new area of study, "The Echo of Ancient Civilizations" is a great read. Dive into the ...

Learn the unbelievable true history of the great warrior tribes of Mexico. More than 13 centuries of incredible spellbinding history are detailed in this intriguing study of the rulers and warriors of Mexico. Dozens of these charismatic leaders of nations and armies are brought to life by the deep research and entertaining storytelling of Peter Tsouras. Tsouras introduces the reader to the colossal personalities of the period.

For almost three decades at the end of the fifth century BC the ancient world was torn apart in a conflict that was, within its historical context, as dramatic, divisive, and destructive as the great world wars of the 20th century. The Peloponnesian War pitted Greek against Greek: the Athenians, with their glorious empire, rich legacy of democracy and political rights, and extraordinary cultural achievement, against the militaristic, oligarchic Spartan state.

Unlock the story of Rome like never before Step into the heart of the ancient world and experience the rise, reign, and remarkable transformation of one of history’s most powerful civilizations. Three manuscripts in one book: Roman Empire: An Enthralling Overview of Imperial Rome Roman Republic: An Enthralling Overview of the Rise and Fall The Byzantine Empire: An Enthralling Overview of the Byzantium Here’s just a tiny fraction of what you’ll discover inside: The dramatic rise of Augustus — and how he turned chaos into empire. Scandals, betrayals, and bloodshed in Rome’s ...

A fresh account of some of history's greatest warriors. The Vikings had an extraordinary and far-reaching historical impact. From the eighth to the 11th centuries, they ranged across Europe - raiding, exploring, and colonizing - and their presence was felt as far away as Russia and Byzantium. They are most famous as warriors, yet perhaps their talent for warfare is too little understood.

It's hard for modern listeners to truly grasp the spectacle that was arena sports in ancient Rome, which pitted man against man and man against beast in mortal combat. Our modern games of football and hockey, or even boxing and MMA, truly pale in comparison. The Gladiators is a comprehensive survey of these ancient sports, focusing on gladiatorial combat and the beast hunts (venationes).