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S'està carregant… With Arrow, Sword, and Spearde Alfred S. Bradford
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Most studies of ancient warfare focus only on the Greeks and the Romans, but this sweeping study covers the whole of the ancient world from Greece and Rome to the Near East, then eastward to Parthia, India, and China. Bradford transports the reader into the midst of ancient battles behind such great leaders as Thutmose III, Ashurbanipal, Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the First Emperor of China. He details the rise and fall of empires, the role of leadership, and the development of tactics and strategy. One sees the clash of peoples: nomads against agricultural societies, infantry against cavalry, as well as the greatest technological change in history--the combination of the composite bow and the chariot. This readable account analyzes ancient armies in terms of modern military doctrine, allowing the reader to make comparisons between the combatants. Recruitment, for example, varied tremendously with Romans drawing from a limited pool of recruits for service terms of twenty to thirty years and Chinese planners preferring a large pool with short-term service. While various types of governments prepared for and waged war in significantly different ways, Bradford finds that better organization led to success on the battlefield and that, for the most part, societal innovation was more important than technological innovation. The ongoing discussion of the lessons of ancient warfare around the globe will provide valuable insights for interested general readers and military professionals alike. No s'han trobat descripcions de biblioteca. |
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Google Books — S'està carregant… GèneresClassificació Decimal de Dewey (DDC)355.0093Social sciences Public Administration, Military Science Military Science Biography And History Ancient WorldLCC (Clas. Bibl. Congrés EUA)ValoracióMitjana:
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Bradford's conclusions at the end of the book were perhaps the most interesting part. He rightly identifies that the most successful leaders were those who recognized and followed methods established by Sun Tzu and Alexander the Great, in particular that success is not possible without a well-defined and practical objective. I do think he missed the mark a bit on the impetus behind the origins of ancient warfare...Bradford pins it on the establishment of agriculture and permanent settlements the created something that had to be defended. While this is certainly true, warfare also indirectly provided a measure of population control; arguments regarding the inevitability of war in spite of the petty interests of rulers or generals is a compelling one that perhaps should have been mentioned.
This book stands as a decent enough primer on ancient warfare. I can name a number of books that are more limited in scope but are far better productions. Consider this a springboard, but one should not be satisfied with the extent of the tales told here. ( )