Overview

Ancient Warfare: The Basics offers an engaging introduction to warfare in the ancient Mediterranean World from the mythical Trojan War, through the rise of hoplites and conquests of Alexander the Great to Roman hegemony and the Arab conquests of western Asia. This volume explores warfare in the ancient Mediterranean through art, literature, and archaeological evidence and covers a vast geographical area stretching from northern Europe to western Asia. After an introduction discussing the Trojan War, chapters explore warfare in ancient Greece from the Archaic to the Hellenistic period before shifting to the Persian army and the rise of Macedon. Whately then moves to Roman warfare, covering Rome’s naval prowess, its wars against rebels and aggressors and its expansion in the east, exploring how Rome’s way of war changed in the Late Antique period. The rise of the Huns, horse archery, and the last great war of antiquity – Rome versus Persia in the seventh century CE – close out the book. This concise, accessible guide to ancient warfare is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students in Classics and ancient history as well as scholars and general readers interested in warfare in the pre-modern world.

Full Product Details

Author:   Conor Whately (University of Winnipeg, Canada)
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Weight:   0.560kg
ISBN:  

9780367552626

ISBN 10:   0367552620
Pages:   196
Publication Date:   05 February 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Introduction: “The Bronze Gleamed around Him Like Flashing Fire”: Warfare in the Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean, 1400-600 BCE; 1. “The Strong Do What They Can and the Weak Suffer the Most”: Warfare in Archaic and Classical Greece, 600-404 BCE; 2. “Very Well then, Alexander Comes First”: Fourth Century Greece to the Wars of the Diadochi, 404-275 BCE; 3. Carthage and the “Mutability of Human Affairs”: The Hellenistic Age and the Punic Wars 300-200 BCE; 4. “More Fortunate than Augustus, and Better than Trajan”: From Warlords to Emperors, 200 BCE – 117 CE; 5. “They Make a Desert and Call it Peace”, The Roman Empire, 117-284 CE; 6. “If You Want Peace, Prepare for War”: The End of Antiquity and the Birth of the Medieval World, 284-641 CE; Conclusion.

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Author Information

Conor Whately is a professor of Classics at the University of Winnipeg. He has published a number of journal articles, book chapters, and books on topics ranging from the Roman frontiers and late antique historiography to Roman Arabia.

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