Greek Military Service in the Ancient Near East, 401–330 BCE
Greek Military Service in the Ancient Near East, 401–330 BCE
$127.00
USDThis is the first monograph dedicated to the history of Greek military service for the Achaemenid Persian Empire and the Kingdom of Egypt from the rebellion of Cyrus the Younger to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Through careful analysis of the political contexts of their recruitment and detailed reconstructions of their performances as soldiers and generals on the battlefield, Jeffrey Rop overturns the traditional view that the Greeks who fought in the Near East were mercenaries hired for their superior military skills as heavily armored hoplites. The presence of unprecedented numbers of Greek infantry in the armies of Persia and Egypt is not evidence that the levies of these states were militarily inferior or deficient, but a clear sign of unprecedented foreign political influence among the most powerful leaders and cities of Greece for much of the fourth century.
- Proposes a new view of Greco-Persian relations in the fourth century BCE that helps explain the military successes of Alexander the Great
- Includes new reconstructions of several ancient battles, with diagrams
- Argues for a new interpretation of the military significance of the Greek heavy infantry Hoplite
Reviews & endorsements
‘This is an essential read for anyone interested in the ancient west, not only throwing light on the military practice of the times, but also gives us some insights in the uses and abuses of history.’ Albert Nofi, The NYMAS Review
‘… a most relevant contribution to a central subject that deserves to attract more scholarly attention, the book is recommended to all who are working on the political and military history of the fourth century BC.’ Sabine Müller, Global Military Studies Review
Product details
August 2019Hardback
9781108499507
290 pages
235 × 157 × 20 mm
0.56kg
Available
Table of Contents
- 1. The Greek thesis
- 2. The Battle of Cunaxa
- 3. Greece and the rebellion of Cyrus the Younger
- 4. Greeks in Persia and Egypt, ca. 400–360
- 5. The revolt of Artabazus
- 6. The Persian Conquest of Egypt
- 7. The Greco-Persian defense of Western Anatolia
- 8. The fall of the Achaemenid Persian Empire
- Conclusion: the other Persian wars.
