Fagan Garrett. Great Battles of the Ancient World

Teaching Company, 2005. — 152 p.What were ancient battles really like? What weapons, tactics, armor, training, and logistics were used? And what were the crucial factors that could turn the tide of battle, giving one side victory and consigning the other to slaughter, capture, or, at best, escape to fight another day? To answer these questions the course describes and discusses in some of the most notable battles fought in the Mediterranean region from prehistoric times to the 4th century C.E.
In 24 exciting lectures, Professor Fagan introduces you to the many fateful battles that became crucibles of history: the fearsome clash between the Athenians and the invading Persian army at the Marathon, Alexander the Great's crushing hammer-and-anvil tactics against the Persians at Gaugamela, and the Roman mastery of siege warfare at the Jewish fortress of Masada. Encompassing the region from Mesopotamia to western Europe-including Egypt and Northern Africa-this course charts the development of warfare from prehistoric times and examines battles and warfare from the city-states of early Summer to the fearsome Assyrian war machine, the Greeks' distinctive form of combat, the Persian invasions, and the legions of Rome, which evolved brutally effective tactics that gained them dominion over the entire Mediterranean basin. Although the battles you study were fought long ago, considerable controversy exists among contemporary historians.