Greek Fortifications of Asia Minor 500-130 BC: From the Persian Wars to the Roman Conquest

by Konstantin S Nossov, Brian Delf (Illustrator)

Overview

Sandwiched between the heart of ancient Greece and the lands of Persia, the Greek cities of Western Anatolia were the spark that ignited some of the most iconic conflicts of the ancient world. Fought over repeatedly in the 5th century BC, their conquest by the Persians provided a casus belli for Alexander the Great to cross the Hellespont in 334 BC and launch the battle of Granicus and the sieges of Miletus and Halicarnassus. A blend of Greek and Asian styles of military architecture, these fortified cities were revolutionary in their multi-linear construction – successive defensive walls – with loopholes and mural arches. Konstantin Nossov illustrates the evolution of Greek fortifications and the influences of the region they bordered in this fascinating study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781780969886
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	06/20/2012
Series:	Fortress , #90
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Konstantin Nossov is a researcher in and advisor on ancient and medieval arms, armour and warfare, as well as the author of numerous books and articles on the subject. His particular areas of interest include the history of weapons, fortification and siege warfare. He has lived all his life in Moscow, Russia, and has travelled extensively in Europe, North Africa, South Asia, Asia Minor and the Far East. Konstantin has written several Osprey books, as well as other English language titles and numerous books in Russian.
BRIAN DELF began his career producing artwork for advertising and commercial publications. Since 1972, he has worked as a freelance illustrator on a variety of subjects, and books which he has illustrated have been published in more than 30 countries.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Chronology 8

The Principles of Defence 12

Types of fortification

Methods of construction

Design and Development 17

Curtains

Towers

Gates and posterns

A Tour of the Sites 25

Perge

Side

Sillyon

The Sites at War 35

Aftermath 46

The Sites Today 48

A Summary of Greek Fortifications in Asia Minor 60

Glossary 61

Bibliography and Further Reading 63

Index 64

Editorial Reviews

The interplay between resources and threats, and the response to changing military technology, makes for a fascinating study of early fortifications... well-written, and like all the volumes in the series, profusely illustrated. It is recommended to anyone seriously interested in the history of fortifications, and defensive response to changing levels and threats.” —Bolling Smith, Coast Defense Journal (March 2010)

“This work is an excellent introduction to the region including adequate maps for the reader to locate sites and regions described by the author... The history section for the sites is good and the author provides a list of sites with descriptions plus a useful summary chart...this is a good readable book covering a period where some other authors have overwhelmed their readers with terms, descriptions, and foreign names.” —J. E. Kauffman, siteo.net(February 2010)

From the Publisher