Publisher's Synopsis
The heroic efforts of warriors in battle dominate the myths and folklore of almost every nation. The larger-than-life feats of arms of these characters make fascinating reading; but the reality behind the myth is often equally exciting - yet less well known. This title considers a number of famous war-like characters from myth and legend, and looks at the truth from which these stories sprang. Starting with a tale of each character's mythological history, the reality of warfare at that time is then examined, and an investigation into the character's historical existence is given. The characters studied in Legendary Warriors include well known names such as: King Arthur, Cuchulain, Hiawatha, Beowulf, Dracula, MacBeth, Braveheart and the heroes of Homeric epics. This book is suitable not only for those interested in mythology, but also for those interested in ancient and medieval warfare, and the role played by folklore within a culture's history. It often becomes apparent that the character known from myth differs vastly from his or her historical counterpart, but that many of the stories of legend have a ring of truth to them.
