HENCHMEN OF ARES: Warriors and Warfare in Early Greece

1-203120

Provides a detailed, diachronic treatment of a dynamic and formative period of Greek history, from the Mycenaean Bronze Age down to the Persian Wars. Also offers an up-to-date and detailed treatment of the archaeological evidence in addition to the ancient texts. Finally, it places the military developments into their proper cultural and historical contexts: warfare was not merely an activity that ancient peoples frequently engaged in, but served a much broader function as a constituent element of their cultural identities. Includes 100 color illustrations and photos

Using the Homeric epics as a guide, presents a cultural history of warriors and warfare in Early Greece: from the chariot-borne soldiers of the Mycenaean palaces to the seaborne raiders of women and cattle of the Dark Age; from the men of bronze who helped liberate Egypt from the Assyrian yoke down to the Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis. Along the way, a number of detailed issues are considered, including the proper place of the Greek hoplite in the history of the Eastern Mediterranean, the possible origins of the Argive shield, and other developments.