A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare - Conor Whately

[carojon]

I've recently finished reading an interestingly new title added to the ancient warfare section of my book collection focussed very much on the impact of war in the ancient world as experienced through the five physical senses.



This is not a new way of describing the impact of battle and conflict in general for many other periods in history, but given the constraints in terms of sources from the ancient period I have to say I was intrigued.

If you would like to see my impressions then just follow the link to JJ's

https://jjwargames.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-sensory-history-of-ancient-warfare.html

JJ

[mmcv]

Interesting, thanks for sharing

[carojon]

Thanks for your comment and glad you enjoyed the review.

JJ

[Emir of Askaristan]

An excellent review and response to the book too.

I wonder if looking at non European sources in the colonial period and possibly earlier would fill the gaps - where tribal warfare (or warfare with tribesmen) would provide the descriptions of hand to hand combat with traditional melee weapons and the sounds and feel of that hand to hand and eye to eye struggle. I suspect that the experience of such would be similar, despite the gap in centuries.

[carojon]

Hi and thank you.

That to is a very interesting idea and with much merit when, as you say you consider the similarities.

[Easy E]

I am always a fan of historians trying to do the Keegan "Face of Battle" approach. 

Need to track down this book.

[Blackwolf]

Thanks for the review definitely give this a read