Innovators in Ancient Greek Warfare

War was rarely a stranger to ancient Greece. The spear and shield defined the Greeks as much as their contributions to politics, philosophy, and science. Of all the martial deities, they favoured Athena above all. That the Greeks revered the goddess of wisdom over Ares, the more savage embodiment of war is telling. The best ancient Greek commanders were cunning and innovative, and they offer astute lessons to students of military theory and practice that remain relevant to this day. Names like Alexander the Great have echoed through the centuries, inspiring later generations of military commanders like Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte long after the demise of ancient Greek civilization. Other names, like Philopoemen and Iphicrates, have faded into relative obscurity, their exploits and military acumen shrouded by the passage of time. What these commanders shared, was a masterful grasp of military strategy and tactical tradecraft which enabled them to triumph in one of the most violently competitive arenas of antiquity: ancient Greece. In this refreshing new study, Alexander Gale dedicates each chapter to a specific ancient Greek general, focusing on what made their approach to warfare new, innovative, or impressive.