The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece
Categories: History
Victor Davis Hanson reconstructs what infantry battle was like for the hoplites of classical Greece, citizen farmers who fought in the phalanx. Drawing on histories, poetry and drama, he describes their armor, the fear before battle, the charge, the collision of ranks and the collapse that followed. Hanson argues that this short, head-on clash reflected the politics of the Greek city-states and their wish to settle disputes quickly, shaping a Western preference for decisive battle. John Keegan contributes an introduction.
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