Warfare in Ancient Greece

Contemporary Review, April, 2005

Warfare in Ancient Greece: Arms and Armour from the Heroes of Homer to Alexander the Great. Tim Everson. Sutton Publishing. [pounds sterling]20.00. xvi 231 pages. ISBN 0-7509-3318-6. This widely researched and clearly written study covers the period 1550 to 150 BC in five chapters: The Early Mycenaean Period, The Late Mycenaean Period, The Emergence of Hoplite Warfare, The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars and The Hellenistic Period.

Mr Everson argues that British historians have been more concerned with Roman warfare than with Greek. His aim is, in part, to introduce English readers to the work of European historians of Greek warfare, especially the equipment used: how was it made; how effective was it; how much did it change during this period. He concentrates especially on armour (helmets, shields and body coverings) because they changed the most. He shows how conservative were the developments and how little the Greeks borrowed from abroad: the most famous exception was the chariot. This changed only after Alexander's conquests and ended when faced by the might of Rome. (T.B.)