Author Description

The Ancient Greeks--who believed war was the most important thing humans do--bequeathed to the West an incomparable military legacy that still influences the structure of armies and doctrine. Passing through a full millennium of war that begins with the rise of the city-state, this colorful portrait of Greek culture explains why their unique approach to fighting was so successful and so relentless. Scrutinize its role at the very heart of classical life, agrarian duels, the emergence of Athenian and Spartan power, the development of war as a specialized science, and the collapse of Greek warfare after Alexander the Great. From Peloponnesia in the 5th century BC to the Hellenisation of the western world, it's an unforgettable tale of battle.