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

by Alfred S. Bradford

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780275952594
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/30/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

ALFRED S. BRADFORD is the John Saxon Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oklahoma. He served with the 1/27th Infantry in Vietnam. He has been a research assistant and a member at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
The Ancient East
Civilized War
The Egyptians
The Chariot People
The Egyptian Empire
Balance of Power
The Hebrews
The Assyrians
The Medes and Chaldaeans
The Persians
The Greeks
The Greek Way of War
"Go Tell the Spartans"
The Peloponnesian (Archidamian) War
The Peloponnesian (Decelean) War
The Demise of Hoplite Warfare
Philip and the Macedonians
Alexander the Great
Into India and Beyond
The East
India: Chandragupta
China: Spring and Autumn
China: The Warring States
China: The Former Han
China: The Later Han
The Parthians
The Roman Republic
The Development of the Roman System
Hannibal
The Conquest of the Mediterranean
The Breakdown of the Roman System
Julius Caesar
The Roman Empire
The Creation of the Empire
The Army of Trajan
The Ascendancy of the Army
The Awful Third Century
Reform and Revolution
The Fall of Rome

Editorial Reviews

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)

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