Reference Book

[Strategos_Timoleon]

Hello everybody! I'm new in Roman Army Talk and this is my first post.

I would like to buy an illustrative reference book about classical warfare. I'm interested in both equipment and battle tactics as well as battle maps and campaign descriptions if possible. My aim is to use this book alongside with other more detailed books about the era.

Having searched the net (mostly amazon.com to be honest!), I came along the following books:

1)Greece and Rome at War - Peter Connolly
2)Warfare in the Ancient World - Brian Todd Carey
3)Warfare in the Classical World - John Gibson Warry

Which one would you recommend? Are there other books that I should think of?

I must note that I already own half-a-dozen men-at-arms/elite Osprey books, so I need something better.

Thank you guys in advance!

[Matthew Amt]

Welcome!

Connolly is Number One, hands down. (Just make sure you get the second edition!) Warry is also quite good though it's getting a little old by now. I don't think I know the second one you list, though I've probably seen it somewhere.

Connolly also has a number of "spin-off" books, some of which actually were published before Greece and Rome at War and were partially integrated into it (Greek Armies, Roman Army). But anything he does is great.

Happy reading!

Matthew

[Laran]

There are also 'Montvert' books about Achaemenid Persian, Seleucid and Ptolemaic reformed armies. They are no longer published but it's still possible to find them. You can also try Osprey's Campaign, Battle Orders, and Essential Histories series.

Good luck!

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Just posting to support what Matt says about Connolly.Not to be compared with Osprey.I don't have the other two you mentione,,though.I have seen pics from Warry's and they're very good,I prefer Connolly.
Khaire
Giannis

[Mythos_Ruler]

1)Greece and Rome at War - Peter Connolly
2)Warfare in the Ancient World - Brian Todd Carey
3)Warfare in the Classical World - John Gibson Warry

I don't have "Warfare in the Ancient World", but the other two I do have and they are fantastic. They blow Osprey publications out of the water. To me, the Osprey books seem like they're aimed at Middle School level for some reason, and there's nothing wrong with that. But if you want something with a little more meat, Peter Connolly's "Greece and Rome at War - New Edition" and John Warry's "Warfare in the Classical World" are definitely the way to go. There are others of course, but those two volumes are what every enthusiast should have on his book shelf.

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

"Roman Warfare" by Adrian Goldsworthy
"The Wars of the Ancient Greeks" by Victor Davis Hanson
"Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World" by Simon Anglim, et al.

Those are all pretty good. Good luck in your search!

[Vincula]

2)Warfare in the Ancient World - Brian Todd Carey

No good! antoninuspius.blogspot.com/2006/03/drink-deep-or-taste-not-pierian-spring.html

[Strategos_Timoleon]

Thank you guys for the replies!

Since I see there is a unanimity about the book of Peter Connolly, I' ve already ordered it!
I might also get John Warry's book in a later time.

I also found Ioannes' recommendations very interesting, especially when I found out that "The Wars of the Ancient Greeks" and "Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World" are translated in Greek!

Thank you Vincula for the very helpful link!

I plan to enrich my bookshelf with books about the era, so any further recommendations or opinions would be more than welcome.

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

The Wars of the Ancient Greeks in Greek?!!!When?Some time ago I couldn't find Hanson's books translated,other than The western way of war (which is excellen,you should read it) and "A War like No Other) with the Greek title "Peloponnesian War".
Oh,now I remember,is the War's of the Ancient Greeks a big thick book with illustrations?I may have come accross it...
Khaire
Giannis

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

"The Wars of the Ancient Greeks" does indeed contain a good number of illustrations.

Also, in reply to the above post by Vincula, Carey's work is not for the Ph.D., per se, but is more than satisfactory if you are looking for something more introductory, or in this case, an easy reference. I think whoever wrote that blog was a little harsh. But then again, I'm not a critic, so what do I know?

[Paullus Scipio]

I'm interested in both equipment and battle tactics as well as battle maps and campaign descriptions if possible.

I would endorse what has been said above, Warry and Connolly. But if its battle maps and tactical diagrams you are interested in, then Warry is definitely better - it has over 50 battle maps to Connolly's less than a dozen. wink:

[geala]

My favourites are Warry and Connolly too. If I could only buy one I would stick with Warrys book because it has a broader view and diversity.

I would not recommend to read Hanson or van Wees alone. Both have very good books but these contain also a few very doubtful views or informations, so it's important to have additional sources.

"Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World" by S. Anglim et al. is good too, but also contains some strange data and would not be my first choice.

A bit more special is Duncan Heads book "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars". It is just fantastic. When I first saw it my thought was: an old book (from 1981) with outdated information and primitive black and white illustrations just for toy wargaming. One could not be more wrong. If you are interested in the period it is a must in my opinion.

To say that Ospreys are bad or too simple is wrong in my opinion. The quality of the books varies with the author and artist. There are some very good examples. The books f.e. from Nick Secunda about the Greeks are to be taken very serious although some views may be debatable (and I don't like the late Angus Mc Bride so much). The big advantage of the Ospreys is that they contain a lot of interesting fotos of original sources. The drawings should be taken with care generally but nevertheless are nice to see.

[HannibalRules]

I am new to Roman Army Talk and I have enjoyed reading the posts and looking through the amazing international resources that are being brought together here. I am very excited about the new publication, ANCIENT WARFARE, that is being launched by this site. In regards to general references on Roman warfare, both Warry and Connolly's books are excellent introductions to Greek and Roman warfare, and both have been in print for over two decades, a testimony to their staying power. Warry is specifically strong in his discussion of ancient sources, while Connolly's illustrations of archaeological finds is a must for historians and reinactors alike. My book, Warfare in the Ancient World, has a different audience. This book was designed as a reader for my upper-division and graduate level courses at the American Military University and, along with its companion volume, Warfare in the Medieval World, covers a long span of history in two short volumes (3000 BCE to 1648 CE). Both are heavily illustrated with tactical maps with a target audience of active duty military personnel familiar with the changing relationships between heavy and light infantry and heavy and light cavalry. Warry and Connolly both do a much better job introducing Greco-Roman wafare than my first volume. I, too, would also recommend Adrian Goldsworthy's Roman Warfare for a quick overview and his very well illustrated The Complete Roman Army for an approach more in line with Warry and Connolly.

[HannibalRules]

I am new to Roman Army Talk and I have enjoyed reading the posts and looking through the amazing international resources that are being brought together here. I am very excited about the new publication, ANCIENT WARFARE, that is being launched by this site. In regards to general references on Roman warfare, both Warry and Connolly's books are excellent introductions to Greek and Roman warfare, and both have been in print for over two decades, a testimony to their staying power. Warry is specifically strong in his discussion of ancient sources, while Connolly's illustrations of archaeological finds is a must for historians and reinactors alike. My book, Warfare in the Ancient World, has a different audience. This book was designed as a reader for my upper-division and graduate level courses at the American Military University and, along with its companion volume, Warfare in the Medieval World, covers a long span of history in two short volumes (3000 BCE to 1648 CE). Both are heavily illustrated with tactical maps with a target audience of active duty military personnel familiar with the changing relationships between heavy and light infantry and heavy and light cavalry. Warry and Connolly both do a much better job introducing Greco-Roman wafare than my first volume. I, too, would also recommend Adrian Goldsworthy's Roman Warfare for a quick overview and his very well illustrated The Complete Roman Army for an approach more in line with Warry and Connolly.

Brian Todd Carey

[Laran]

Thanks for the info, Brian! Laudes.