Publisher's Synopsis
This is an up-to-date and detailed, yet accessible, study of the weapons and armour of the Classical Greeks, Macedonians and Romans. Covering the period from the emergence of hoplite armies in Greece from the 8th century BC, through the Hellenistic age and down to the fall of the Western Roman empire in the 5th century AD, Professor Quesada Sanz traces the development of the three dominant military systems of the ancient Mediterranean world. He describes all aspects of offensive and defensive equipment in detail, based firmly in the archaeological evidence and explains their relationship to the context of evolving organization and tactics. As well as the obvious chapters on swords, spears, helmets, body armour and the like, there are sections on such subjects as, biological warfare, war elephants, horse tack and saddles, siege weapons and military signals and standards. The expert but highly readable text is supported by numerous diagrams, photographs and the lavish colour artwork of Carlos Fernandez del Castillo. This is both an excellent reference work and a visual delight.
