Oldtidens krigsførelse

Krig kan ikke styres.Uhyrlige invasioner og krige begynder, fordi magthavere vil demonstrere, at de handler, beslutter og kontrollerer. Men krige kan ikke beherskes, og de slutter først, når ressourcerne slipper op.Gorm Harste præsenterer udførligt krigens komplekse udviklingshistorie, forklarer dens paradoksale fornuft og undersøger dens magtfulde og autonome ustyrlighed. Med et systemteoretisk greb videreudviklet fra især Carl von Clausewitz' krigsfilosofi og Niklas Luhmanns sociologiske kommunikationsteori dokumenterer Harste, hvordan krig har domineret moderne samfund. Han viser også, hvordan krig ikke afgøres på slagmarken eller i antallet af døde, men vindes og tabes i en nedslidende tidslig og geografisk forskydning, hvor alle kneb gælder. Og hvor kun krigen magter at tage magt over magten.

Orosius skildrer i Historien den antikke verden fra skabelsen til 417 e.Kr., hvor værket er skrevet, og hovedvægten ligger på Roms historie. Forfat - teren vender sig mod dem i hans samtid, der an - greb kristendommen som ansvarlig for Romer - rigets vanskeligheder under folkevandringerne. I sine mange retoriske kommentarer gør han op med den traditionelle lovprisning af fortiden, og han opregner alle dens ulykker, især krigene, med omhyggelig optælling af dødsofrene. Orosius ser optimistisk på sin samtid, også på muligheden for at integrere indvandrerne i det kristne, romerske samfund. Historien blev udgangspunkt for den vesterlandske forståelse af verdenshistorien som en helhed, styret af Guds forsyn, eller senere af et sekulært opfattet, almindeligt fremskrid

Det persiske felttog – Anabasis er det bedst kendte værk af den oldgræske filosof, historiker og essayist Xenophon (ca. 430-354 f.Kr.). Anabasis betyder ordret 'marchen ind i landet'. Bogen skildrer den skæbne, som hæren på 10.000 græske lejesoldater led, da den blev hyret til at støtte et internt kupforsøg inden for kongefamilien i det mægtige Perserrige i 400 f.Kr.Grækernes arbejdsgiver, tronraneren Kyros den Yngre, tabte og blev dræbt. Hans soldater strandede langt inde i Perserriget uden vejvisere og uden proviant. Dette er indholdet af den første bog ud af syv, og resten handler om de utrolige strabadser og lidelser, hæren måtte gennemgå under tilbagetoget gennem Armenien og Tyrkiet for at nå ud til Sortehavet og den græske verden. Xenophons medrivende værk hører til blandt de store klassikere i europæisk historieskrivning og er her for første gang oversat i sin helhed til et mundret, moderne dansk. Bogen er forsynet med en forklarende indledning, der dækker centrale emner såsom værkets litterære formål, græsk militærvæsen og religion. Endvidere er der et fuldstændigt register over personerne og lokaliteterne, der forekommer i teksten samt et antal forklarende noter. Endelig er værket forsynet med adskillige kort, plancher og illustrationer, der forklarer komplicerede tekststeder samt et antal farvefotos af de relevante landskaber.

Anna Komnene describes the political and military history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of her father, Emperor Alexios I. The text documents the Crusades and the conflicting perceptions of East and West in the early 12th century.

Der Leinenpanzer war der vorherrschende Brustpanzertyp im klassischen Griechenland. Er wurde von Hopliten, vielen Reitern sowie auch leichter ausgerüsteten Peltasten getragen. Aufgrund seiner vergänglichen Materialen ist kein Exemplar dieser Rüstung bis heute erhalten. Dennoch ist es dank der Informationen aus archäologischen und literarischen Quellen möglich, einige Aussagen über die Beschaffenheit und den Aufbau des Leinenpanzers zu tätigen. Genauere Information über seine Konstruktion und seine Schutzwirkung sind allerdings nur durch experimentalarchäologische Versuche zu erlangen. Seit mehreren Jahren werden entsprechende Experimente vom Hamburger Projekt "linothorax" durchgeführt. Der vorliegende Band liefert ein erstes umfassendes Zwischenfazit dieser Arbeit. Er enthält einen Überblick über den Hopliten als Träger der Rüstung, die wichtigsten Quellen, die Hamburger Experimente und die Schutzwirkung des Leinenpanzers. In weiteren Kapiteln werden detaillierte Beschreibungen der Herstellungen von Leinenpanzer-platten, Bronzeschuppen und Brustpanzern geboten. Somit dient das Buch nicht nur als einführendes Werk zum Leinenpanzer, sondern kann auch als Anleitung für weitere Versuche verwendet werden.

Investigates and describes the experience of the ordinary Roman soldier from recruitment through every aspect of his career with the legions.

Gabriele Esposito discusses these remarkable warriors of the steppes, analysing what made them such formidable opponents to their neighbours over the centuries.

A dramatic retelling of the final years of the Western Roman Empire and the downfall of Rome itself from the perspective of the Roman general Stilicho and Alaric, king of the Visigoths.It took little more than a single generation for the centuries-old Roman Empire to fall. In those critical decades, while Christians and pagans, legions and barbarians, generals and politicians squabbled over dwindling scraps of power, two men - former comrades on the battlefield - rose to prominence on opposite sides of the great game of empire. Roman general Flavius Stilicho, the man behind the Roman throne, dedicated himself to restoring imperial glory, only to find himself struggling for his life against political foes. Alaric, King of the Goths, desired to be a friend of Rome, was betrayed by it, and given no choice but to become its enemy. Battling each other to a standstill, these two warriors ultimately overcame their differences in order to save the empire from enemies on all sides. And when one of them fell, the other took such vengeance as had never been seen in history.Don Hollway, author of The Last Viking, combines ancient chroniclers' accounts of Stilicho and Alaric into an unforgettable history of betrayal, politics, intrigue and war for the heart and soul of the Roman Empire.

The beginning of Tiglath-Pileser's I reign, laid heavy involvement in military campaigns, as suggested from translated texts from the Middle Assyrian period. The texts were believed to be "justification of war." Although little literary text is available from the time of Tiglath-Pieser I, there is evidence to show that the reign of Tiglath-Pileser I inspired the act of recording information, including that of his military campaigns. Toward the end of Tiglath-Pileser's reign literary texts took the form of "summary texts" which served as a vessel for as much information about his reign as possible, with the intent to be handed down to his successor.

Most people believe the Mongolian Empire was a small tribe known for looting, robbing, and pillaging. The Mongols used to be little more than nomads prowling the harsh and often barren steppes of Mongolia. The Mongols were innovative and creative in everything they did beyond just warfare. They owed their successes to their military tactics and impressive art of war.Here's What You're Going to Learn in This BookThe Mongol ArmyCreating an EmpireThe Mongol Civil WarsFall of the Mongol EmpireAnd much more!The Ottoman Empire was so big and lasted for so long, yet it is one of those empires that many common people have forgotten about. The people who lived in what is now Turkey, and in surrounding areas, were mostly devout Muslims who were defending their beliefs and trying to expand the realm to conquer more territory. Shockingly, the empire was slowly falling apart by the time the 20th century came around the corner.

A riveting biography of Alexander the Great's final years, when the leader's insatiable desire to conquer the world set him off on an exhilarating, harrowing journey that would define his legacy. By 330 B.C.E., Alexander the Great had reached the pinnacle of success. Or so it seemed. He had defeated the Persian ruler Darius III and seized the capital city of Persepolis. His exhausted and traumatized soldiers were ready to return home to Macedonia. Yet Alexander had other plans. He was determined to continue heading east to Afghanistan in search of his ultimate goal: to reach the end of the world. Alexander's unrelenting desire to press on resulted in a perilous seven-year journey through the unknown eastern borderlands of the Persian empire that would test the great conqueror's physical and mental limits. He faced challenges from the natural world, moving through deadly monsoons and extreme temperatures; from a rotating cast of well-matched adversaries, who conspired against him at every turn; and even from his own men, who questioned his motives and distrusted the very beliefs on which Alexander built his empire. This incredible sweep of time, culminating with his death in 323 BC at the age of 32, would come to determine Alexander's legacy and shape the empire he left behind. In Alexander at the End of the World, renowned classicist and art history professor Rachel Kousser vividly brings to life Alexander's labyrinthine, treacherous final years, weaving together a brilliant series of epic battles, stunning landscapes, and nearly insurmountable obstacles. Meticulously researched and grippingly written, Kousser's narrative is an unforgettable tale of daring and adventure, an inspiring portrait of grit and ambition, and a powerful meditation on the ability to learn from failure.

The Book of Five Rings is a classic treatise on strategy and martial arts written by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi. In this timeless work, Musashi lays out his philosophy and techniques for winning in any endeavor, whether it's on the battlefield or in everyday life. The book is divided into five sections, each named after one of the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Emptiness. In each section, Musashi explores different aspects of strategy, from the importance of timing and rhythm to the role of intuition and awareness. He also shares his insights on the use of weapons, the psychology of combat, and the art of leadership. Despite being written over 300 years ago, The Book of Five Rings continues to be a source of inspiration for martial artists, business leaders, and anyone seeking to improve their skills in any area. This edition includes a new introduction that provides historical context and highlights the relevance of Musashi's teachings to modern readers.

This richly illustrated Sourcebook gathers together, often for the first time, a large number of ancient sources--inscriptions, papyri, literary accounts, coins, etc.--related to the life, career, and word of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, successor to Trajan, and ruler in the 2nd century at a pivotal time for the history of the West. Accompanied by maps and illustrations of varying kinds, this is the most complete collection of ancient sources on Hadrian--all in English translation--to ever appear. The author, a scholar who has published more than 40 books and many, many articles, has been studying Hadrian for a half century. Trained in the languages (Greek, Latin, etc.) translated in this volume, Dr. Bolich, as editor, has not only reviewed the translations used, but contributed many of his own. He has also supplied footnotes offering a wealth of additional information and pointing to places where the original language source material and other translations may be found.

Les stratagèmes, a été reconnu comme une ¿uvre majeure dans toute l'histoire humaine, et nous avons pris des précautions pour assurer sa préservation en rééditant ce livre de manière moderne pour les générations présentes et futures. Ce livre a été entièrement retapé, révisé et reformaté. Le texte est lisible et clair car ces livres ne sont pas créés à partir de copies numérisées.

La plej antikva - kaj samtempe tre aktuala - teorio pri milito.

S¿nz¿ (traditional Chinese ¿¿, simplified Chinese ¿¿) was a general and military strategist who lived in the Eastern Zh¿u period (771-256 B.C.). His given name was S¿n W¿ (¿¿, ¿¿); the name "S¿nz¿" is an honorific, such as is commonly used for ancient Chinese philosophers.S¿nz¿ is best-known as the putative author of "The Art of War," a military manual which has been highly influential from the time of its composition through to the 21st century. It has been used by commanders both within and without China. It is the source of such common aphorisms as "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."Lionel Giles (1878-1958) was an English sinologist and writer. He is best known now for his translation of "The Art of War" (1910).This book is in the Deseret Alphabet, a phonetic alphabet for writing English developed in the mid-19th century at the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah).

The first full-length biography in English of Aspar, the eastern Roman general and statesman, this book explores his central role in the history and politics of the fragmenting Roman Empire in the fifth century. It also considers what his life and career may suggest as to the differing fates of the eastern and western parts of the empire.Taking a chronological approach, Bleeker guides us through what is known of Aspar's life and his changing influence in the eastern Roman army and court. Born and raised in Constantinople, Aspar primarily viewed and presented himself as a Roman general, consul, and senator. Yet he also stood outside the Roman mainstream in two important ways-as a member of the empire's "barbarian" military leadership and as a devout Arian Christian. Early chapters treat his formative military experiences with the Persians, a Roman usurper in Italy, the Vandals in Africa, and the Huns of Attila, while later chapters focus on Aspar's political role in resolving the two imperial succession crises that struck the eastern Roman empire in the mid-fifth century and his extended struggle to control the succession to Leo I.Bleeker builds on earlier studies in three ways. First, previous work has largely concentrated on the role of "barbarian" generals in the western Roman empire, while much less attention has been paid to similar figures (such as Aspar) in the east. Secondly, while important recent work has explored the prevalence of "child-emperors" in the late-fourth and early-fifth centuries, this book suggests a further evolution of the imperial role in the mid-fifth century. Finally, while previous studies of this period have focused on Aspar's late career role in the succession struggles, a full study allows us to see how and why his relations with other key figures within and outside the eastern Roman government changed over the course of his lengthy career.