{"product_id":"the-western-way-of-war-infantry-battle-in-classical-greece-9780520219113","title":"The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece","description":"\u003cp\u003eSecond Edition  The Greeks of the classical age invented not only the central idea of Western politics--that the power of state should be guided by a majority of its citizens--but also the central act of Western warfare  the decisive infantry battle. Instead of ambush  skirmish  maneuver  or combat between individual heroes  the Greeks of the fifth century b.c. devised a ferocious  brief  and destructive head-on clash between armed men of all ages. In this bold  original study  Victor Davis Hanson shows how this brutal enterprise was dedicated to the same outcome as consensual government--an unequivocal  instant resolution to dispute.  The Western Way of War draws from an extraordinary range of sources--Greek poetry  drama  and vase painting  as well as historical records--to describe what actually took place on the battlefield. It is the first study to explore the actual mechanics of classical Greek battle from the vantage point of the infantryman--the brutal spear-thrusting  the difficulty of fighting in heavy bronze armor which made it hard to see  hear and move  and the fear. Hanson also discusses the physical condition and age of the men  weaponry  wounds  and morale.  This compelling account of what happened on the killing fields of the ancient Greeks ultimately shows that their style of armament and battle was contrived to minimize time and life lost by making the battle experience as decisive and appalling as possible. Linking this new style of fighting to the rise of constitutional government  Hanson raises new issues and questions old assumptions about the history of war.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45647581413429,"sku":"ByrdShop_0520219112","price":22.58,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780520219113.jpg?v=1781694017","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-western-way-of-war-infantry-battle-in-classical-greece-9780520219113","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}