<div><B>A &ldquo;practical and thought provoking&rdquo; study of the ancient military tactic known as the phalanx&mdash;the classic battle formation used in historic Greek warfare (<I>The Historian</I>).</B><BR />  <BR /> In ancient Greece, warfare was a fact of life, with every city brandishing its own fighting force. And the backbone of these classical Greek armies was the phalanx of heavily armored spearmen, or hoplites. These were the soldiers that defied the might of Persia at Marathon, Thermopylae and Plataea and&mdash;more often than not&mdash;fought each other in countless battles between the Greek city-states.<BR />  <BR /> For centuries they were the dominant soldiers of the classical world, in great demand as mercenaries throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Yet, despite the battle descriptions left behind and copious evidence in Greek art and archaeology, there are still many aspects of hoplite warfare that are little understood or the subject of fierce academic debate.<BR />  <BR /> Christopher Matthew&rsquo;s groundbreaking work combines rigorous analysis with the new disciplines of reconstructive archaeology, reenactment, and ballistic science. He examines the equipment, tactics, and capabilities of the individual hoplites, as well as how they used juggernaut masses of men and their long spears to such devastating effect.<BR />  <BR /> This is an innovative reassessment of one of the most important early advancements in military tactics, and &ldquo;indispensable reading for anyone interested in ancient warfare (The New York Military Affairs Symposium).</div>

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A Storm of Spears

<div>The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC is one of the most famous battles in history.  The heroism of the 300 Spartans who opted to remain behind to face the full might of the Persian host while their Greek allies made good their escape has become the stuff of legend. The story still inspires novelists and film-makers today (Frank Miller's fanciful 300 was a huge hit in 2007 and the film rights to Steven Pressfield's more historical novel Gates of Fire were bought by George Clooney, the film expected to finally surface in 2011 or 2012). But what is the truth behind the legends and why was this bloody defeat immediately accorded a halo of glory that has endured for nearly two-and-a-half millennia?Beyond the Gates of Fire brings together experts on the classical period from Australia, New Zealand and the United States to take a fresh look at various aspects of the battle. A substantial introductory section by the editors outlines the background to the conflict as well as the arms, armor and fighting styles of the opposing sides. The following chapters (9 of them) then discuss such questions as whether the defense of the pass really was a suicide mission; the exact topography of the battlefield itself in 480 BC, using the latest geological research and core samples; the impact of the battle on the Greek psyche; commemoration of the war dead; the impact of the original battle on the conduct of later battles in the pass, right up to the German invasion of 1941. For the classical scholar or the general reader whose interest has been piqued by the popular books and films, this book is sure to shed refreshing new light on the most famous last stand in history.</div>

Beyond the Gates of Fire

<div><B>A new translation of the 2nd-century Greek manual on warfare. “A work that cannot be neglected in any future study of ancient military history.” —Ancient Warfare Magazine</B><br/><br/>Aelian’s work on tactics is a hugely significant piece of ancient military literature, yet the last new edition in English was published in 1814. Although writing in the second century AD, Aelian drew heavily on earlier works to put together a comprehensive manual of warfare in the Hellenistic period (late 3rd to early 1st centuries BC). His Tactica thus examines all facets of warfare in the period of Alexander the Great’s successors, including the arms and armor of cavalry and infantry, formations, commands and signals. <br/><br/>As well as being an invaluable source for modern historians studying the Hellenistic period, the book was very influential on military theory long after Aelian’s death. A substantial edition published in London in 1616 contained a full direct translation as well as comprehensive notes and a treatise on how to apply Aelian’s work to the training of English pike formations in the Macedonian manner. It was well used to train the foot regiments that fought the English Civil War. <br/><br/>Christopher Matthew’s new edition is based on the 1616 edition but written in modern English with new renditions of all its accompanying figures. It has the original 1616 notes as well as comprehensive new notes and cross references to the other ancient manuals that drew upon it. It is without a doubt the most up to date version available in any language of this significant work that has influenced tactical thought for 1,500 years.</div>

The Tactics of Aelian

<div><B>An innovative study of the Macedonian war machine&rsquo;s sarissa-wielding infantry under such leaders as Philip II and Alexander the Great.</B><BR /><BR /> The Hellenistic pike-phalanx was a true military innovation, transforming the face of warfare in the ancient world. For nearly 200 years, from the rise of the Macedonians as a military power in the mid-fourth century BC, to their defeat at the hands of the Romans at Pydna in 168BC, the pike-wielding heavy infantryman (the phalangite) formed the basis of nearly every Hellenistic army to deploy on battlefields stretching from Italy to India. And yet, despite this dominance, and the vast literature dedicated to detailing the history of the Hellenistic world, there remains fierce debate among modern scholars about how infantry combat in this age was actually conducted.<BR /><BR /> Christopher Matthews critically examines phalanx combat by using techniques such as physical re-creation, experimental archaeology, and ballistics testing, and then comparing the findings of this testing to the ancient literary, artistic and archaeological evidence, as well as modern theories. The result is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study of what heavy infantry combat was like in the age of Alexander the Great and his successors.</div>

An Invincible Beast

<div><B>Essays examining the influence of gods, oracles, and omens in the wars of the Archaic and Classical Greek world.</B><br/><br/>Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Greeks were certainly no exception. No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as Ares, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war and religion is an area that has been regularly overlooked by modern scholars examining the conflicts of these times. This volume addresses that omission by drawing together the work of experts from across the globe. The chapters have been carefully structured by the editors so that this wide array of scholarship combines to give a coherent, comprehensive study of the role of religion in the wars of the Archaic and Classical Greek world.<br/><br/>Aspects considered in depth will include: Greek writers on religion and war; declarations of war; fate and predestination, the sphagia and pre-battle sacrifices; omens, oracles and portents, trophies and dedications to cult centers; militarized deities; sacred truces and festivals; oaths and vows; religion &amp; Greek military medicine.<br/><br/><B>Praise for <I>Religion &amp; Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece</I></B><br/><br/><B>“Comprised of ten erudite and impressively informative articles by experts in the field of Greek antiquity. . . . A work of meticulous and detailed scholarship, <I>Religion &amp; Classical Warfare: Archaic and Classical Greece</I> must be considered as a core addition to community, college, and university library Antiquarian Greek History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.” —Midwest Book Review</B></div>

Archaic and Classical Greece

<div><B>Essays exploring the role religion played in ancient Roman warfare, including destroying enemies’ gods, wartime ceremonies, and live burials.</B><br/><br/>Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Romans were certainly no exception. No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as Mars, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war and religion is an area that has been regularly overlooked by modern scholars examining the conflicts of these times. This volume addresses that omission by drawing together the work of experts from across the globe. The chapters have been carefully structured by the editors so that this wide array of scholarship combines to give a coherent, comprehensive study of the role of religion in the wars of the Roman Republic.<br/><br/>Aspects considered in depth will include: declarations of war; evocation and taking gods away from enemies; dedications and ceremonies; the cult of the legionary eagle; the role of women in Republican warfare; omens and divination; live burials of people in times of military crisis; and the rituals of the Roman triumph.<br/><br/><B>Praise</B><B><I>Religion &amp; Classical Warfare: The Roman Republic</I></B><br/><br/><B>“The authors take a novel approach in looking at military history of the Roman Republic in terms of the relationship between warriors and religion. The ancient world was driven to a high degree by religious belief, even to the point of commanders relying on seers to advise them on the eve of battle.—Very Highly Recommended.” —Firetrench  </B><br/><br/><B>“A work of meticulous and detailed scholarship.” —Midwest Book Review</B></div>

The Roman Republic

<div>Religion was integral to the conduct of war in the ancient world and the Romans were certainly no exception. No campaign was undertaken, no battle risked, without first making sacrifice to propitiate the appropriate gods (such as Mars, god of War) or consulting oracles and omens to divine their plans. Yet the link between war and religion is an area that has been regularly overlooked by modern scholars examining the conflicts of these times. This volume addresses that omission by drawing together the work of experts from across the globe. The chapters have been carefully structured by the editors so that this wide array of scholarship combines to give a coherent, comprehensive study of the role of religion in the wars of the Roman Empire.  Aspects considered in depth include: the Imperial cults and legionary loyalty; the army and religious/regional disputes; Trajan and religion; Constantine and Christianity; omens and portents; funerary cults and practices; the cult of Mithras; the Imperial sacramentum; religion &amp; Imperial military medicine.</div>

Christopher Matthew
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Books By Christopher Matthew (7 Books)

A Storm of Spears

Beyond the Gates of Fire

The Tactics of Aelian

An Invincible Beast

Archaic and Classical Greece

The Roman Republic

The Roman Empire

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© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Christopher MatthewFollow this author

Books By Christopher Matthew (7 Books)

A Storm of Spears

Beyond the Gates of Fire

The Tactics of Aelian

An Invincible Beast

Archaic and Classical Greece

The Roman Republic

The Roman Empire

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© 2024 OPEN ROAD INTEGRATED MEDIA

Christopher Matthew
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