Murray Dahm Knihy

"Leuctra was one of the most important and decisive battles fought in the ancient world. Not only did it witness the destruction of the Spartan dominance of Greece, it also introduced several tactical innovations still closely studied to this day. The Spartan hegemony (strengthened since her victory in the Second Peloponnesian War of 431-404 BC) was wiped out in a single afternoon, and Sparta would never recover from the losses in manpower suffered during the battle. The resultant power vacuum led to the Theban Hegemony (371-362 BC) and, eventually, to the dominance of Macedon from 338 BC (the Battle of Chaeronea) onwards. In this study, author Murray Dahm explores the rich source material available for this pivotal battle, highlighting key differences between the accounts of Xenophon, Plutarch, Pausanias, Diodorus, and other sources, whilst discussing the composition of forces and tactical choices made by the opposing sides. Featuring superb illustrations that bring this epic battle to life, this work also covers the preceding Battle of Tegyra in 375 BC, the first clash in which the idea of Spartan military superiority was fundamentally challenged by the Thebans."--Back cover

In late summer AD 376, the Gothic tribe of the Theruingi, led by Fritigern, sought asylum from the Eastern Roman emperor Valens due to civil war and pressure from the Huns. They agreed to convert to Arian Christianity and join the Roman Army, gaining permission to cross the Danube into Thrace. However, the influx of up to 200,000 people exceeded Roman expectations, and as winter approached, local commander Lupicinus struggled with inadequate resources and troops to manage the newcomers. Poor treatment and food shortages led the Goths to lose faith in Roman promises. Meanwhile, the Greuthungi tribe, denied entry, exploited the situation and crossed the Danube as Roman garrisons were weakened. Tensions escalated when Lupicinus denied the Theruingi access to food stores in Marcianopolis, prompting skirmishes. Although Fritigern negotiated with Lupicinus to calm tensions, the warriors remained restless. Roman forces were ultimately defeated in late 376, marking the beginning of a series of defeats that culminated in the pivotal battle of Adrianople in August 378, where the Roman emperor faced the Gothic host. This illustrated book explores the combatants from both sides in the battles that determined the fate of the Western Roman Empire.

Featuring full-color artwork and drawing upon an array of sources, this is the story of the clash between Athenian and Spartan hoplites during the Peloponnesian War.

This analysis of the evidence shows that the end of the Roman era and birth of Anglo-Saxon rule was a drawn out process - much of the nuances has been lost over time. This insight into a neglected time in Britain's history offers an important re-evaluation of the period.

This engrossing book pits the legionaries of Imperial Rome against their Germanic and Sarmatian opponents in the 2nd century AD. Shortly after Marcus Aurelius came to power in AD 161, the Roman Empire was racked by a series of military crises. While unrest in Britain and a new war with Parthia were swiftly dealt with, the invasion of Roman territory by the Chatti and Chauci peoples heralded a resurgent threat from the empire's European neighbours. Soon the Marcomanni and the Quadi, as well as the Dacians and the Sarmatian Iazyges, would attack the Romans in a series of savage conflicts that continued until AD 175 and would see the first invasion of Roman Italy since the beginning of the 1st century BC. In this book, the two sides' objectives, weapons and equipment and fighting styles are assessed and compared in the context of three featured battles: Carnuntum (170), where a Roman legion was vanquished and Italy invaded; the 'Battle on the Ice' (172), where the Romans fought their lighter-armed Iazyges opponents on the frozen Danube; and the so-called 'Miracle of the Rain' (174), during which a trapped Roman force facing annihilation was able to defeat numerically superior Germanic forces. Photographs, specially commissioned artwork plates and mapping complement the authoritative text in this engrossing study of Imperial Rome at war.