Old Testament Warriors

The Clash of Cultures in the Ancient Near East

by

Simon Elliott

  Whether you view the Old Testament as a religious work, or just as a historical record of the Jewish People, the information inside it is a gold mine for historians. It is filled with tons of places and events that have been verified by archaeologists, and in the written records of the other Near Eastern Peoples of the time. While most people would be aware of the warring between Israel/Judah and the Philistines, the nation of Israel was at the crossroads of the various kingdoms and empires that surrounded it. So unfortunately, it became a battlefield in the seesaw fighting that took place among them. This book shows the reader the history of the warriors and warfare from the earliest times to about 500 BC. 

 This volume is not a large book at around 150 pages. However, it is an excellent primer for the reader who has not delved into the Near Eastern history of this time frame. The books gives us information on these, and other, following Kingdoms/Peoples:

Egypt

Nubia

Cannan

Libya

Minoans 

Mycenaeans

Sea Peoples

Hebrew

Philistine

Hittite

Assyrian

Babylonian

 Given the shortness of the book, it does not go into too much detail. You do however get to read about the 'Genesis of Chariot Warfare', and the armies of the above listed Peoples. The Kings you will see written in its pages may or may not be known to you. Pharaohs such as: Ramesses II, and the Hittite King Suppiluliumas I. The Assyrian king Ashurbanipal, and the Akkadian Sargon the Great. Along with many others are shown to the reader. 

 For someone who is interested in the history, and most especially the warfare, behind the Old Testament, this book is the best first stop for the reader that I can recommend. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this great book. This proves that good things do come in small packages.

Robert

Book: Old Testament Warriors:

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Author: Simon Elliott:

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Casemate Publishers

 Ancient Battle Formations

by

Justin Swanton

 The author has chosen to take on three large topics in this book. Usually, authors will tackle just one of the ancient battle formations, these being:

The Hoplite Phalanx

The Macedonian Phalanx

The Roman Legion

 Instead, Mr. Swanton has decided to give a dissertation about all three in the same book. This might lead prospective readers to assume that the author just gives an overview of the different formations. This thought is far off the mark. The book has enough information to please the history lover, wargamer, and the military modeler all in one concise volume. 

 The book starts with a chapter called 'The Fundamentals of a Formation'. True to its name, the chapter starts the reader off slowly into this deep subject. The book goes into different formations and exactly how they could move and fight in them. It also gives the size of varying formations and the space between each fighting man. Then it goes into the formations that cavalry would use, and then goes into Elephants and even chariots. 

 Next up is the author's take on the history, usage, and finer points about the Hoplite Phalanx. The early beginnings of the Hoplite Phalanx are covered by the mists of time. We can only guess at the actual year and place that the Hoplite Phalanx took shape. We can, with certainty, say that by the time of the first Persian attempts to conquer Greece that most of the city states had their own Hoplite Phalanxes. The book goes into the various arguments for how the spear was held (overhand or under), then branches out in minute detail into the panoply of the Hoplite, along with trying to use the fragments of history that we have to explain the Hoplite Phalanx's actual use in battle. The authors of the time were writing for their audience, and not for us. This means that they took many things for granted in their writings. They could all go down to the city training area and watch the Hoplites train. So, many simple things about warfare from the time we have no hard evidence on. The later copiers of their work did not add in the missing bits either. 

 Then the author takes us to the Macedonian Phalanx and shows its probable beginnings under Alexander's ancestors. Unfortunately, the history of the Macedonian Phalanx is also not easy to pin down. We do know that its form was definitely in place by the time Alexander became king. The Successors of Alexander, or Diadochi, definitely changed some things about the Phalanx, but its form would have been easily recognizable by earlier warriors. 

 The next chapter of the book is called 'The Triplex Acies', and not  'Roman Legion' as you would think. It begins with a history of the Roman Hoplite Phalanx, and then segues into the history of the Legion itself. The main point of contention with authors about the Legion is how exactly the Romans could use troops from behind the first line as relief for it. Disengaging from an enemy front line, especially in hand-to-hand combat, is not an easy thing to do. How the Romans could do it without throwing their own lines into chaos is once again a question that history does not give us the definitive answer to. The author goes though the different ideas on the subject and shows us the varied thoughts on the matter.

 At the end of each chapter is a large bibliography for the reader to delve into himself. The book also has copious amounts of citations for the different theories presented. The book is an excellent one volume treatment of these three distinctly different formations and their uses. Thank you very much Mr. Swanton for this book. I also thank Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review it. 

 Another point that the author touches on is why, if the Legion became the pinnacle of battle formations, was only the Macedonian Phalanx brought back to life to conquer Medieval battlefields for 300 or so years? This has always been a question in my mind. 

Robert

Book: Ancient Battle Formations

Author: Justin Swanton

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers 

 

 Panzer tactics: Tank Operations in the East, 1941-42

Oskar Munzel

Translated by Linden Lyons

 This is part of a set of books that were written in Germany in the 1950's, and 1960's. It was meant to be a history of World War II operations from the German point of view. Because of the Cold War, the NATO countries were all interested in the German accounts of fighting Russia. Considering they had the Warsaw Pact breathing down their throats, it is not surprising. 

 This author served in the 6th Panzer Regiment of the 3rd Panzer Division from June 1941 until September 1943. He rose to become commander of the regiment. After that, he served in several staff positions, and then became the commandant of the tank school. He commanded at the division and corps level before the war ended. In 1955, when Germany created the Bundeswehr in 1955, he became the commandant of the tank school once again. So, you can see he was the perfect person to write about panzer operations during the war. 

 The book is around 160 pages, and goes from the beginning of Barbarossa to the drive to the Caucasus and retreat in 1942. This is a history of the 6th Panzer Regiment, and in a broader scope, the attack of Army Group South during that period.

 The book is well written, and the translation seems to have been done very well also. It is an easy read for those who already have some knowledge of the Eastern Front in WWII, and specifically panzer operations. The book has twenty-one maps! The only caveat is that they are just copies of the original ones in German. They do, however, allow you to follow along with the author's prose to get a good look at the operations he is describing.

 This is a great work on a small slice of operations on the Eastern Front during the first two years of the war. It shows just how tough the Russians were in 1941 (the Germans lost about a million men that year). This is not a paean of praise for German troops. The author gives his thoughts on what the Germans and Russians did both right and wrong. Being a trained staff officer, he was appalled at the decision to attack toward both Stalingrad and the Caucasus at the same time. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for letting me review this very informative record of these operations.

 Robert

Book: Panzer Tactics: Tank Operation in the East, 1941-42

Author: Oskar Munzel 

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

  

 Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City

by

Peter Harmsen

 This is a different book than you usually read about the fall of Nanjing/Nanking. This is really a military history of the fall of the city. I will amend that, it is actually a military history from the loss of Shanghai to the fall of Nanjing. Most books about the campaign really just gloss over the military aspects and are just about the horrific Japanese treatment of the citizens and soldiers left in Nanjing (The Rape of Nanjing). In actuality, you could probably write a book about the horrible crimes inflicted on the Chinese for every single day of Japanese occupation of parts of China.

 The Nationalist Chinese headed by Chiang Kai-Shek had tried to stop the Japanese invasion of Southern China at Shanghai. In doing so they had stopped the Japanese for a few months, in what is generally called the Stalingrad of the East. Unfortunately, the Nationalists had only a few divisions that were well trained and the equal of the Japanese troops. Oddly enough they had been trained by German officers. Those elite divisions were destroyed in the Battle for Shanghai. The author informs the reader of this background leading to the Battle for Nanjing. 

 The book goes from top echelon discussions of strategy and the war in general to stories about single soldiers on both sides of the war without missing a beat. You are shown how most Japanese strangely felt anger to the Chinese for not letting them take over their country. The book also shows the German (this again is odd considering their subsequent alliance with Japan), attempt at peace negotiations between the two powers. 

 The discussions between the highest Nationalists leaders about trying to fight for Nanjing, or just surrender the city, are shown to the reader. You get to see how the Japanese believed that once they captured Nanjing, the Chinese Capital, that the Nationalists would sue for peace. 

 Kudos to the author in being able to show us the top down view of the battles and still be able to tell the story of the individuals involved. The book does go into the hell of the the Rape of Nanjing, but it is not the book's focus. Inside you will find a good many maps that are very nicely drawn to help you to understand the campaign. There are also two different groups of photos showing the people and events in the book. Thank you Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review another excellent book from their stable. Please also take a look at the author's 'Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze'.

Robert

Book: Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City

Author: Peter Harmsen

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Saladin and the Fall of Jerusalem

by

Stanley Lane-Poole

  This book was originally published in 1898. The Introduction is done by Dr. David Nicolle, who also did some minor alterations on the book for this release. The book is about Al-Nasir Salah al-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub. This is normally shortened to just Saladin. He represents a strange character in the history of the Crusades. For not only did the Arab world sing his praises, but the Crusaders also looked upon him as a just and gallant enemy. Most people do not know much about the Crusades, but if they have read or heard about them there are only two names they really know. These would be Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, unless they remember the character Balien from the movie 'Kingdom of Heaven' (he was an actual historical figure).  

 According to the author, Saladin was born in either 1137, or 1138. He also says that he was of Kurdish descent. Saladin was born into the turmoil of the Middle East after the First Crusade had won Jerusalem and lands in which we now know as Lebanon, Israel, and Syria. He spent some of his youth in Damascus.

 During this time in the Middle East, things were not so black and white as we have been lead to believe. There was animosity between the Franks (collectively what the Moslems called the Crusaders), and the indigenous population. However, there was also friendship and trade etc. going on between the two sides. The author recounts a story that Saladin was actually knighted by a Crusader when he was a young man.

 Saladin accompanied his uncle from Damascus to help in the conquest of Egypt from the Fatimids. His sovereign at this time was Nur-ed-din the ruler of most of Syria. The conquest of Egypt was the death knell of the Crusader States. Up until that time the Crusaders were able to play the different Moslem factions against one another.

 

 Through luck and force of character, Saladin eventually became ruler of all of the Moslem States surrounding the Crusader States. He tasked himself with the reconquest of Jerusalem and all of the the lands under the Franks. His campaign against the Crusaders ends with their terrible defeat at the Horns of Hattin. Saladin is then able to conquer Jerusalem and everything but a few cities and lands adjacent to the coast of the Mediterranean. The Third Crusade is then undertaken by the Europeans to take back Jerusalem. This then leads to the great showdown between Saladin and Richard coeur de lion.

 This book is about 120 years old. This history was written in a style that was heavily in vogue at the time. I have always liked the Harold Lamb style of  'telling the tale' of history type of book, as long as the facts are still the most important part of the book. This book is a wonderful and enjoyable read that holds to the facts, and yet still weaves a good tale for the reader. Thank you Casemate Publishers for letting me review this re-release of a classic.

Robert

Book: Saladin and the Fall of Jerusalem

Author: Stanley Lane-Poole

Publisher: Fonthill Media

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

 Monte Cassino

A German View

by Rudolf Bohmer

  This is an older book that was published in German in 1956. This translation is exactly what a reader who is interested in the Italian Campaign and the Battle of Monte Cassino is looking for. Despite the name of the book, the author goes into the entire Italian Campaign from the invasion of Sicily to fighting for the heights of Monte Cassino. The author was actually a German officer during the campaign. So he has first hand knowledge of a lot of the battles for Italy. 

 He starts the book with the choices that the Allies had in 1943. Whether to attack Italy proper, Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia, or the Balkans. Churchill fought long and hard for an invasion of the Balkans, but the American brass would have none of it. The author shows how the Germans were confused by the tentativeness of the Allies, and how they helped the Germans repeatedly to fight the battle for Italy on their terms.

 Monte Cassino was one of the linchpins of the Germans' 'Gustav Line' of defense across the width of Italy. The tenacious German defense, and offensive at Salerno, allowed the Germans to build a series of defensive lines, each tougher than the last. 

 Even though he was a German officer, the author has nothing but praise for the individual Allied Units. In the Italian Campaign the Allies had a polyglot group of Units from across the globe. According the the writer, the French North African troops came very close to capturing Monte Cassino on their very first attack. Unfortunately, they had far outrun any of their supports on either flank. This meant that the battle became a hell on earth for the common soldier for the next few months. 

 The next part of the battle that he goes into is the very controversial, even at the time, Allied decision to bomb the monastery at the top of Monte Cassino. The author quotes scripture and verse about how the Germans helped the monks move everything valuable out of the monastery and turned it over to the Vatican. All this, in the middle of a battle. The truth of the Germans helping with the removal, and the fact that there were never any Germans inside the monastery until after the bombing, has been proved factual after the war. The bombing of the monastery was actually one of the few propaganda coups that the Western Allies handed the Germans during the war.

 This is for the reader who wants to know the intimate details of the Allied and German strategical choices and plans about the Italian campaign. If someone wants to read about the minute details of the tactical battle for Monte Cassino, this is also the book. The author has an uncanny way of moving from large overviews about the campaign to boots on the ground without skipping the proverbial beat. To refer this book to anyone interested in either parts of the campaign is a no-brainer. This is a very well written and detailed look at it. Thank you very much Casemate Publishers for letting me review it.

Robert

Book: Monte Cassino: A German View

Author: Rudolf Bohmer

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

 

Rome, Blood & Power

Reform, Murder and Popular Politics in the Late Republic 70 - 27 BC

Gareth C Sampson

 

 This book shows the history of Rome and the political machinations of the years 70-27 B.C. The first part of the book goes back in time to the Civil War between Marius and Sulla. This is so the reader is grounded in the massive political upheavals that had occurred before 70 B.C. The book's timeline includes the last throes of the Roman Republic through the first years of the Empire.

 The cover shows us four of the main players in this tragedy: Pompey, Crassus, Caesar, and Octavian. This volume is a continuation of the author's Rome, Blood & Politics. That book showed the political history of Rome from the Gracchi brothers to the Civil War between Marius and Sulla, and the reforms of the latter.

 This book shows the deals that went on behind the scenes and the open jockeying for position by the different factions in Rome, until it just became a power play by Octavian to destroy the Republic in all but name only. We see how Sulla's reforms that were meant to strengthen the Senate and Republic were just pushed aside by these newer men eager to write their names in the history of Rome.

 Then the book goes into the history leading up to the First Triumvirate of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. This three way power play continued until Crassus's death in Parthia. Then both Caesar and Pompey fought over whether the Republic would remain intact or a strong man (Caesar), would become emperor without a crown. After Pompey's defeat and then the assassination of Caesar, the book shows us the political history behind the Second Triumvirate of Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus. Then we go to the ousting of Lepidus from his position and the final showdown between Octavian and Antony.

 The author ends the book with some good information, but it is still a bit odd compared to most. The first appendix lists the murdered politicians by year. The second appendix gives a list of the Tribunes that served each year.

  I can easily recommended this book, and certainly both, for anyone who has any interest in the history of the period. Thank you Casemate for letting me review this excellent addition to Rome's history.

Robert

Book: Rome, Blood & Power: Reform, Murder and Popular Politics in the Late Republic

Author: Gareth Sampson

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Carthage's Other Wars

Carthaginian Warfare Outside The 'Punic Wars' Against Rome

by

Dexter Hoyos

 This book is a treasure trove of information, not only about Carthage's 'other wars', but about the city and its government etc. The author has debunked some very long held ideas we have about Carthage and its history, especially its history of warfare. We envision Carthage as the British Empire of its time, with no one really able to deal with its naval supremacy. To quote the author:

 "Carthage's prowess at sea was in fact less accomplished than usually assumed by either ancients or moderns. For lengthy periods, it did not fight naval wars even if it kept up naval patrols around Libya's coast. The potential naval operations along Italy's coasts which its two early treaties with Rome envisaged, were, it seems, theoretical: none is recorded in practice. Although the Greeks and Romans did tend to view Carthage - retrospectively - as the western Mediterranean's great naval power, when wars came its fleets seldom had unmatched superiority over their rivals. Nor did a sea battle decide any of its non-Roman wars, unlike the Battle of the Aegates in 241 which lost its first war against Rome and, with it, western Sicily."

 The story of Carthage's wars, even before the Romans, seems to give us a list of chapters from Plutarch's Lives. Dionysius, Timoleon, Dion, Agathocles, and Pyrrhus, among others, all appear in the story of Carthage's attempts to keep its grip on western Sicily. The author shows that really only two times was Carthage the instigator in an attack on the Greeks in their conclave in Sicily. 

 The only problem we have following the history of Carthage deals with nomenclature. The amount of Hannos, Magos, and Hannibals strewn throughout the years of Carthage's history is a bit daunting. One wishes that they had a larger pool of names to choose from for their leaders. 

 This is a book that anyone who has any interest in the time period should possess. The author wipes away the years in between us, to show us exactly what happened and why. The amount of revolts and fighting with the indigenous Libyans was an eye opener for me. The book shows that the history of the western Mediterranean that we thought we knew is not correct at all. The area never had the settled spheres of influence that looks so neatly arranged on maps. The history was much more vibrant and changing than we imagined. Thank you Pen & Sword and Casemate Publishers for the chance to review this very enlightening book.

Robert

Book: Carthage's Other Wars

Author: Dexter Hoyos

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Marlborough's Other Army

The British Army and the Campaigns of the First Peninsular War

1702-1712

by

Nicholas Dorrell

 This is the story of the campaigns in Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. The last Hapsburg king of Spain, Charles II, had been dying for the last ten years. Europe had been trying to figure out a suitable treaty for when Charles II actually gave up the ghost. The two strongest candidates were Philip of Anjou, Louis XIVs grandson, or the Archduke Charles, brother of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles III. Louis XIVs wife had given up her claim to the Spanish throne, but Louis felt that because her dowry was not fulfilled her claim was still intact. The Archduke Charles was part of the Austrian branch of the Hapsburg family. The European powers had reached a pseudo agreement on the Spanish inheritance, only they had not bargained on Charles II. His will had named Philip of Anjou his successor, but if he did not agree, the crown would be offered to the Archduke Charles. Louis XIV realized he would be fighting almost all of Europe, but decided to accept the throne for his grandson. The campaigns in Northern Europe of Marlborough and the various French Marshals have been written about at length. Along with the above, this book shows the reader the almost unknown fighting that took place in the Iberian Peninsula.

 The book uses the term 'Confederate' to represent the British, Portuguese, Austrian etc. troops that fought to conquer Spain for the Archduke Charles. The Tory war cry of 'No Peace Without Spain' was the British rallying cry throughout the long war. The author shows that this was almost a complete flip flop from the Peninsula War that Wellington fought. Most of the Spanish nation fought with the French for their new king, and against the English and their Allies. It is very possible that what the English learned in this war was put to good use in the Napoleonic Wars.

 The book is filled with reproductions of paintings of the various commanders and some troops. For the miniature wargamer there are also eight full color pages on the troops and their flags. The book is also supplied with a fair amount of maps to help the reader envision the war. 

 The author shows us the seesaw campaigns which several times saw the Confederates conquer Madrid, only to lose it soon after. The French Army at times was commanded by James Fitz-James the Duke of Berwick (James II of England's illegitimate child and Marlborough's nephew). Some military historians compare his generalship to Marlborough very favorably. The book itself is filled with the actual formation rundown of what regiments etc. fought in each campaign. This is a very good book especially for someone who does not have that much of a grasp of the War of the Spanish Succession outside of the Low Countries. As was mentioned, it is also very useful for the miniature gamer. Thank you Casemate Publishers for letting me review this wonderfully informative book from Helion & Company.

Robert

Book: Marlborough's Other Army The British Army and the Campaigns of the First Peninsular War, 1702-1712
Author: Nicholas Dorrell
Publisher: Helion & Company
Distributor: Casemate Publishers

The Battle of Fontenoy 1745

by

James Falkner

 We all have favorite Wars, Generals, and Battles, well this one checks the boxes on all three of my lists. Maurice de Saxe was not only a great general, but also one of the eighteenth century's greatest thinkers and writers on the subject of war. Some of the changes in armies that he wrote about were utilized by Napoleon and generals since then. 

 Maurice de Saxe, or more correctly Arminus-Maurice de Saxe, was one of 354 illegitimate children sired by Augustus II 'The Strong' of Saxony (if most people in Asia are related to Genghis Khan, surely a lot in Europe are related to him!). He was the first of only eight illegitimate children that Augustus would recognize. His life in warfare started at the early age of twelve when he went to war against France in the War of The Spanish Succession. Oddly enough, he rose to be a Marshal of France. His counterpart on the English side of the battle of Fontenoy was William Augustus, The Duke of Cumberland. He was the third child of George II of England. These two generals would be the head of each of the separate armies to clash at Fontenoy. 

 The book is misnamed by the author. It not only describes the actual battle of Fontenoy, but goes back in time to describe all of the events that led to The War of The Austrian Succession (also called the Pragmatic War, because of the Pragmatic Sanction). Maria-Theresa of Austria was the oldest living female offspring of her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. The Pragmatic Sanction was a treaty that most of Europe had signed that allowed a female to take over the Austrian Hapsburg Realms. In actuality, everyone was waiting for the death of Charles to either attack or defend Austria. First and foremost among them was Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick The Great). With the death of Charles the games began.

 The author describes in detail the coming of the war and the events that led to the Battle of Fontenoy. The book continues after the battle to show the reader the '45' and the meteoric career of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The author goes into the Duke of Cumberland's subsequent history after the battle of Fontenoy, and his fall from grace and gradual rise again. The part of the book on the actual Battle of Fontenoy does however, leave the reader wanting more detailed information about the actual battle. You do get the movements and attacks etc. of the units involved, just not to a depth I would have liked to see. If the book had been named more appropriately, my misgivings about the actual information on the battle would be lessened. It is still a very good book about an era in history that not much at all has been written about. Hopefully, that will change soon. Thank you Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this book. It is an easy recommendation for someone who is looking for information on the War of the Austrian Succession, and not just because of the dearth of other sources.

Robert

Book: The Battle of Fontenoy 1745
Author: James Falkner
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Battles and Battlefields of Ancient Greece

A guide to Their History, Topography and Archaeology

by

C. Jacob Butera

Matthew A. Sears

 Greece was the bassinet of the Western World. So it should come as no surprise that it is also the birthplace of Western warfare. The topography of Greece lent itself to mostly locked in city-states due to the mountainous terrain. This also meant that there would be battles galore over the small amount of flat arable land, and also access to the sea. A student of the military history of Ancient Greece will be well acquainted with the names of the different battles that make up each separate chapter on a separate battle.

 The book shows us the battles from as far back as the Greco-Persian Wars; Marathon, Salamis, and Thermopylae. The timeline of the book goes all the way to the Battle of Actium and the start of the Roman Empire. The authors have chosen twenty battles, from the myriad they could have chosen, to concentrate on. 

 The book starts with a small chapter on Greek and Roman land and naval warfare, then jumps right in to the individual chapters on the battles. The book is separated into four parts that show battles in different geographic areas of Greece. They are:

Part I: Athens and Attica
Part II: Boetia and Central Greece
Part III: Northern Greece
Part IV: The Peloponnese and Western Greece

 Each chapter follows the same pattern. There is a small introduction, followed by 'Directions to the Site', 'Historical Outline of the Battle', The Battle Site Today', and 'Further Reading'. The Further Reading starts with ancient sources and then follows up with modern ones. It even lists articles from different Journals. 

 The book is excellent, both for the beginner and old hand at Ancient Military History. For the beginner the information is exactly what they would need to get into the subject, and it also gives the needed information for the lucky traveler to Greece. For us old hats, I believe the best part is the explanation of the topography. So we can visualize exactly why it was necessary for this bit of dirt to be stained with the blood of brave men. 

 The book is almost 400 pages long. The pages are made with a glossy paper. It is filled with pictures of the different battles today and other ones that show items from the battle etc. All of the chapters have at least three if not more maps of the area the battle is located in. It also shows the forces moving to and engaging in the battle. I can recommend the book to anyone who has an interest in the subject. If you are not interested yet, you probably will be after reading the book. Thank you Casemate Publishers for letting me review another great book.

Robert

Book: Battles and Battlefields of ancient Greece: A Guide to Their History, Topography, and Archaeology
Authors: C. Jacob Butera, Matthew A. Sears
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Culloden 1746

Battlefield Guide Third Edition

by

Stuart Reid

 Bonnie Prince Charlie, or 'The Young Pretender' if you like, and the last battle in Scotland to try and put the Stuarts back on the throne. Charlie's legend is based solely on roughly one year of his life. The culmination of which would be the Battle of Culloden, and his flight to the Isle of Skye. These are the end of the last time the Highlands, or at least some of them, rose for the Stuarts. It is also the last battle to take place in Great Britain

 Culloden cannot be looked at and dissected without the history of the year of 1745. One can make the argument that once the bulk of the Duke of Cumberland troops (and his bulk) had landed in Great Britain the gig was up for Charlie and his shoestring revolt. Therefore, Culloden was somewhat of a foregone conclusion. However, the attempt of Charlie to retake the throne for his father has passed down into myth. 

 This book is short at only 150 or so pages. However, it is one of the if not the best one on the battle itself. The book is filled with pictures. These are of the area as it is today along with many illustrations from the time. It is also full of maps. If there is one thing I want to change about military history books is the absolute need for maps, and plenty of them. With this book my personal crusade for maps is unnecessary. 

 The author spends the first twenty-six pages on the campaign leading up to the battle. After that the book takes on every aspect of the battle, and does it extremely well. The author walks a tightrope between all of the myths that have been built up on both sides of the battle. Charlie's almost successful campaign is the stuff of legends. However, his bad decisions , especially in appointments, has also to be looked at. The book does a great job of showing the reader the real history. It goes into the fact that the MacDonald's did charge, unlike some earlier books that follow the earlier accounts. As a bonus it is also a battlefield guide for those lucky enough to be able to travel to the area.

 My suggestion is buy this book, and put on the song 'The Isle of Skye' and have a great time reading a great book (that also has a lot of maps). I have read and reviewed a few of the authors other books. Do yourself a favor and take a look. 

Robert

Book: Culloden 1746 Battlefield Guide Third Edition
Author: Stuart Reid
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Great naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World

by

Owen Rees

 Once again I am proud to review a Pen & Sword release. The book shows us thirteen naval battles from The Battle of Lade in 494 BC to The Battle of Cnidus in 394 BC. The author has picked a very interesting group of battles to depict. There were, in actuality, so many to choose from that he mentions he chose only the ones that have the most information available to historians.

 The author's introduction is unusual in that he does not just explain why he wrote the book, but gives the reader a grounding in Grecian naval warfare. It is a short, but very informative lesson. What exactly was a trireme, how were the rowers set up, and what was each bank of them called? These and more are answered in the introduction. He also dips our toes in the water of their tactics. Even the earliest battles show how sophisticated the Greeks had become in naval warfare. More than 1500 years later some European naval battles were no more than a land battle at sea, with ships lashed together to make to make a pseudo island to fight on.

 The battles start at the Persian Wars, where Persia was invading Greece. They continue through the Archidamian and Ionian  (usually called the Decelean War by scholars, but the author points out that all of the action took place in Ionia)Wars. The familiar names are all here: Conon, Lysander, and of course Alcibiades. The Greek strategy and tactics of the period are still studied today. Many of the famous ancient historians are quoted in the book. The author attempts (I think successfully) to make sense of these military actions from the sometime very skimpy sources.

 The duel between Alcibiades and Lysander are the most interesting parts of the book in my opinion. The author shows that Persian money was the only reason that Sparta was able to keep fighting at the end of the Peloponnesian War.

 All in all, this is a great book to add to your collection. The maps, which are a little Spartan (sorry), do help. It would have been nice to see more of them. Mr. Rees, soon to be Dr. Rees, does an excellent job of sweeping away the cobwebs of 2500 years. Thank you Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this book.

Robert 

Book: Great naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World

Author: Owen Rees

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

The Sniper Encyclopedia

An A-Z Guide to World Sniping

by

John Walter

  

 Once again a book I am reviewing has been misnamed. The Sniper Encyclopedia should be called 'a history of snipers and their weapons'. Almost half of the book is dedicated to just the weaponry of snipers going back a few hundred years.

 The book itself is over 300 pages long. The description reads:

750 Standard Entries

100 Extended Features And 'Top 20' Lists

Over 400 Biographies

200 Illustrations

 This is a one stop reference for almost anything to do with the sniper and his weapons. It is a pretty amazing piece of work. I am certain the author has done a ton of research, judging by the incredible volume of information listed in the book. The only problem some people may have is with his 'Top 20' lists. For male snipers he has Simo Häyhä listed fourth behind three renowned Russian snipers of World War II. Everything else I have read puts the Finn in first place by a wide margin. In my research of the list some people believe that some of the Russian 'kills' were exaggerated for propaganda purposes. I am in no way able to confirm or deny this. I am just adding this to inform the reader.

 A listing of some of the companies and rifles include:

German manufacturers' codes
Natalia Kovshova
Mannlicher sniper rifles
Minute of Angle
Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft  (Steyr)
Remington sniper rifles
Serdyukov & Kraskov sniper rifles
Trench rifles
Top twenty Vietnam snipers

 Ignoring the above possible argument point, the book is still the best one I have ever read in regards to snipers and sniper rifles. From Kentucky Long Rifles to today's 50 caliber extreme long range rifles, all of them are here. If you are interested in the history of sniping this is your book. If you are looking for Biographies of the top snipers then look no further. If the reader is looking for a detailed description of just their weapons, then again this is your book. Thank you Casemate Publishers for letting me review this great book.

Robert

Book: The Sniper Encyclopedia: An A-Z Guide to World Sniping
Author: John Walter
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Antipater's Dynasty

Alexander the Great's Regent and his Successors

by

John D Grainger 

  Antipater, Parmenion, and Antigonos belonged to an earlier generation than Alexander. All three were contemporaries of Alexander's father Phillip II. Antipater was to be in charge of Macedon while Phillip II invaded the Persian Empire. Parmenion was actually in now a days Turkey acting as the first invasion force and intelligence gathering mission. Antipater lived longer than Alexander, and was one of the few Successors that remained true to Alexander's heirs. It has been thought by some historians that Alexander was planning on killing Antipater had he lived. The other story told is that Antipater had Alexander killed by poison brought to Babylon by his son Kassander.

 So, this is the story of both Antipater and his children and grandchildren, etc. The author, John D. Grainger, is one of my favorites. In this book, along with his others, he is able to take events from more than 2000 years ago and make sense of them. The first part of the book deals with Antipater and his up and down in his relationship with Alexander. As Alexander aged, his thirst for blood increased exponentially. For Antipater to have even lived to see Alexander's death was quite an accomplishment.

 Strange as it seems, Antipater did not make his son Kassander his heir. He appointed Polyperchon to that role. Unfortunately this meant much misery for Greece. His daughters' marriages only helped to break apart the Macedonian Empire into the separate Hellenistic Kingdoms. Kassander's supposedly obsessive hatred of Alexander is also gone into by the author (the well known head-banging incident), although he doesn't take it as gospel. Kassander's sons' greed and inability to co-rule made certain of the family's fall from being rulers of Macedon. Antipater, through his daughter Phila's descendants (who was the mother of Antigonus Gonatus), ruled Macedon until the Roman conquest (Antigonids).

A great book by a great author on one of the most important of the Diadochi.

Robert

Book: Antipater's Dynasty: Alexander the Great's Regent and his Successors
Author: John D. Grainger
Publisher: Pen & Sword
Distributor: Casemate Publishers