The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece Contributor(s): Hanson, Victor Davis (Author), Keegan, John (Introduction by) |
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ISBN: 0520260090 ISBN-13: 9780520260092 Publisher: University of California Press OUR PRICE: $29.65 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2009 Annotation: The Greeks of the classical age invented not only the central idea of Western politics--that the power of state should be guided by a majority of its citizens--but also the central act of Western warfare, the decisive infantry battle. Instead of ambush, skirmish, or combat between individual heroes, the Greeks of the fifth century B.C. devised a ferocious, brief, and destructive head-on clash between armed men of all ages. In this bold, original study, Victor Davis Hanson shows how this brutal enterprise was dedicated to the same outcome as consensual government--an unequivocal, instant resolution to dispute. Linking this new style of fighting to the rise of constitutional government, Hanson raises new issues and questions old assumptions about the history of war. A new preface addresses recent scholarship on Greek warfare. |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - History | Military - General - History | Ancient - Greece |
Dewey: 355.093 |
LCCN: 99029002 |
Physical Information: 0.9" H x 6" W x 8.9" (0.95 lbs) 320 pages |
Themes: - Chronological Period - Ancient (To 499 A.D.) - Cultural Region - Greece |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The Greeks of the classical age invented not only the central idea of Western politics-that the power of state should be guided by a majority of its citizens-but also the central act of Western warfare, the decisive infantry battle. Instead of ambush, skirmish, or combat between individual heroes, the Greeks of the fifth century B.C. devised a ferocious, brief, and destructive head-on clash between armed men of all ages. In this bold, original study, Victor Davis Hanson shows how this brutal enterprise was dedicated to the same outcome as consensual government-an unequivocal, instant resolution to dispute. Linking this new style of fighting to the rise of constitutional government, Hanson raises new issues and questions old assumptions about the history of war. A new preface addresses recent scholarship on Greek warfare. |