Description

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Ancient warfare is much more than a military affair: it is a total phenomenon, at once political, social and cultural, and it has a lasting impact on the societies that wage war or seek to shelter themselves against it. Thierry Lucas' book tackles this major issue, focusing on the case of ancient Boeotia in the Classical and Hellenistic periods through five thematic chapters. This study is based on battle narratives from the Classical period, which provide an insight into the workings of the Boeotian army at the time of the Peloponnesian War and during the period of Theban hegemony, as well as on the rich epigraphic documentation from the Hellenistic period. These data, combined with archaeological, iconographic, and numismatic evidence, draw a picture of a military system that permeates all aspects of Boeotian society, in terms of institutions, religion and culture. Even in the Hellenistic period, despite the Confederation's wilting role on the international stage, the epigraphic evidence shows a koinon with well-honed and fully functional military institutions, constantly adapting to evolving warfare practices while keeping to a deeply rooted military culture. In a nutshell, this book offers the first comprehensive and long-term overview of an ancient federal military system. It would be misleading to see it as just another volume on Boeotian studies: far more than a strictly regional analysis, this study is a true a paradigm of military history in the ancient Greek world.