The civilisations of the Greece in the Ancient World have inspired and fascinated throughout European history. The stories of Homer, later reinforced by the pioneering archaeological work carried out by men such as Heinrich Schliemann at Mycenae and Sir Arthur Evans at Knossos, have enabled modern researchers and historians to piece together a rich material culture and reconstruct the mysteries of the Ancient World.
The mainland and islands of Greece were extensively settled by peoples moving from Asia Minor in c.5000 BC, while a further wave in c.5000 BC introduced bronze-working to the region. It is form this point on that it is possible to discern a distinct Cycladic or Aegean civilisation, developing at roughly the same time as the Egyptian and Persian civilisations. Further to the south, the Minoan civilisation based on Crete held sway, and this power - along with the Helladic Achaeans to the north gradually swamped the Cycladic civilisation in between.
In common with most Bronze Age societies, the culture of the Aegean world was dominated by warfare, with the inhabitants living in organized settlements and small citadels with fortification walls and bulwarks, towers and gates to provide protection against invaders from the sea or internecine conflicts. Using the latest archaeological evidence, this title recreates the world of these peoples through a detailed examination of their material culture.
D'Amato, Raffaele: - Raffaele D'Amato, PhD, is the author of some 40 books and has written numerous articles on the Roman Empire, Byzantium, medieval Europe and the military of Ancient Greece. He has taught at the University of Ferrara, and was a visiting professor at Fatih University, Istanbul. He currently lives in England, working as an archaeological consultant and lawyer for Timeline Auctions Ltd of Harwich, and also as an external researcher for the Laboratory of the Danubian Provinces at the University of Ferrara.
Rava, Giuseppe: - Giuseppe Rava was born in Faenza in 1963, and took an interest in all things military from an early age. Entirely self-taught, Giuseppe has established himself as a leading military history artist, and is inspired by the works of the great military artists, such as Detaille, Meissonier, Röchling, Lady Butler, Ottenfeld and Angus McBride. He lives and works in Italy.
Salimbeti, Andrea: - Andrea Salimbeti has had a lifelong interest in ancient military historical research, in particular the Bronze Age in Greece and the Middle East, and has collaborated with magazines and special publications in these fields. He also writes on aviation topics such as aerospace technology and flight equipment. He has contributed to various Osprey titles including ELI 223 The Etruscans, MAA 533 The Normans in Italy 1016-1194 and WAR 180 Early Iron Age Greek Warrior 1100-700 BC.
