Ebook: The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare: Volume 1, Greece, The Hellenistic World and the Rise of Rome

I have just finished reading the first volume of the two, and the review is written based upon the first book. In spite of the title this is NOT a history of Greek and Roman Warfare, but rather a series of essays organized according to topic. The quality of the writing varies enormously, from the superb prose of Lendon to the difficult and almost unreadable essays by Hornblower and Hall. The best essays are those by Hanson(historiography of ancient warfare) Whitby (reconstructing ancient Wrfare) Strauss (Naval Combat and sieges) Billows (international relations) Sekunda (Land forces) Roth(War) Sabin(land battles) Serrati (Warfare and the state). The organization of this volume is peculiar, and to me non-intuitive (yet it seems to be the new style adopted by Cambridge University Press as can be seen in their volumes on 17th century philosophy) Because it is divided into sections and each into chapters that mirror the previous section there is a vacuum of background information or continuity. It is vital to have a deep knowledge of the period (as well as deep pockets to afford the book!) and a handbook such as Montagu's "Battles of the Greek and Roman Worlds" available.

The bibliography is superb, the maps are good, the illustrations poor. At this price it is disgraceful that they are black and white, and some of are of the poorest quality of reproduction. P. 384 has a photo of the Via Appia that looks as if it was photocopied out of a 1950's school textbook!P.427 "Legion vs Phalanx at Pydna" is too small and lacking in contrast to understand the detail, and the reproductions of Greek pottery are sad.

Yet this is a very illuminating volume.