The Classical Art of Command: Eight Greek Generals Who Shaped the History of Warfare

The Classical Age of Greece produced some of history's best-known generals and commanders. They include the Spartan king Leonidas, who embodied his countrymen's heroic ethos in the battle of Thermopylae; the Athenian leader Themistocles, credited as the architect of Athens' naval power and of the Greek victory over the Persians; the famous democratic leader, Pericles, who prepared Athens and directed its conflict with Sparta, known as the Peloponnesian War; the Athenian general Demosthenes, who deviated from contemporary conventions of warfare with his innovative approach; the Spartan general Lysander, who won the Peloponnesian War for Sparta; Dionysius I of Syracuse, arguably the most innovative and best skilled of the eight generals discussed in this book; and Epaminondas and Pelopidas who together transformed their city, Thebes, into an hegemonic power. The Classical Art of Command gives readers a unique opportunity to examine the variegated nature of Greek generalship through the individual careers of eight prominent commanders. It describes the attributes of these leaders' command, the many facets of their individual careers and stratagems, and the mark they left on Greek history and warfare. It draws attention to the important role that personality played in their leadership. Joseph Roisman investigates how these generals designed and executed military campaigns and strategy, and to what degree they were responsible for the results. The volume also looks at how the Greek art of command changed during the Classical Age, and how adaptable it was to different military challenges. Other questions involve the extent to which a general was a mere leader of the charge, a battle director, or a strategist, and what made both ancient and modern authorities regard these eight generals as outstanding shapers of military history. Filled with original analyses and accessible accounts of legendary battles, The Classical Art of Command will appeal to all readers with an interest in ancient warfare and generalship.

About the Author :
Joseph Roisman is a Professor of Classics at Colby College. He has authored numerous publications on Ancient Greece, including The Rhetoric of Conspiracy in Ancient Athens and Alexander's Veterans and the Early Wars of the Successors.

Review :
"Overall, the material in this work is informed, well-presented, and supported by outstanding, careful research. This is an excellent contribution to this area of scholarship, and does a wonderful job of demonstrating the complexities of this type of leadership role, the planning and management of ancient warfare, and sheds new light on a number of well-known and important battles during this age. The general reader, as well as students and scholars, will find this work interesting and insightful. The Classical Art of Command will be a fundamental work for research into various aspects of Greek warfare and ancient Greek command during the Classical Age, as well as the lives and careers of these famous generals." --Charlotte Dunn, Ancient History Bulletin "[Roisman] is to be especially commended for the clarity, with which he traces the often complex shifts in alliances, particularly in the period after the Peloponnesian War-a not insignificant detail, since the ability to cement or undermine these alliances was an important weapon in the commander's arsenal. With 38 illustrations and 38 maps, an extensive bibliography and a useful survey of primary sources, this is a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in the ancient Greek world." --David Stuttard, Classics For All "This well-conceived and carefully researched book will inform and delight scholars and the general public alike. The Classical Art of Command is accessible yet nuanced as it guides the reader through the complex and varied world of the ever-warring Greek polis. Even those not naturally drawn to military history will find interest and merit in Roisman's analysis of the lives of eight generals from Classical Greece and the world they helped shape." --Timothy Howe, St. Olaf College "Roisman presents a breathtaking panorama of the warring states of Greece from age of the Spartan Leonidas and the wily and brilliant Athenian Themistocles to the Theban generals, Pelopidas and Epaminondas, who revolutionized hoplite warfare. Spanning the roughly one hundred and fifty years from the Persian Wars to the emasculation of Sparta by the Thebans, this volume studies eight prominent military figures who contributed to the rise of Greek military supremacy in the era before Philip and Alexander of Macedon. Roisman is well versed in this field and his scholarship is impeccable. More than just a military study, The Classical Art of Command belongs in the library of every student and enthusiast of Greek history." -Waldemar Heckel, University of Calgary