Peter Connolly (1) (1935–)

Thoroughly and meticulously illustrated. It is really enjoyable to build maps between Connolly's illustrations of ancient art and archaeological finds, and his reconstructions based on them. And there is an actual evolutionary tree of helmet types.

Divided into three sections: Mycenaean Greece, Classical Greece, and Hellenistic Greece. Discusses the evolution of tactics as well as siege weaponry and fortification.

A few illustrations from "The Ancient Greece of Odysseus" are reused.… (mer)

Interweaves the stories of the Iliad and the Odyssey with the archaeological background of the same. Connolly's lively and violent illustrations accompany the stories. The archaeological discussions have many photographs of artifacts. It is enjoyable to page between the two, seeing how Connolly's artistic reconstructions are derived from the paintings and inlays and funeral masks and sculptures found by the archaeologists. The cover illustration for my edition is from the Iliad; Ajax defends the Greek ships from the furious attacks of the Trojans, especially Hector. The other principal illustration is from the Odyssey: a storm tossed ship.

It seems very odd to me that any culture would prefer wheels with just four spokes.

Those Greek gods were such cheats!… (mer)

Každý vie, akou nepremožiteľnou mocou bola rímska armáda v čase najväčšieho rozkvetu Impéria. Menej známe však je, ako k tomu prispela premyslená organizácia, výzbroj či taktika rímskeho vojska. O týchto veciach zasvätene, v sprievode výstižných ilustrácií hovorí kniha určená rovnako mládeži ako dospelým. Kapitoly: Republikánska armáda, Légie, Vojsko na pochode a v tábore, Tábor, Boj, Výzbroj a výstroj republikánskej armády, Loďstvo a námorná moc Ríma, Vojnové lode, Caesarova armáda, Nové légie, Ženijné vojsko: mosty, Ženijné vojsko: cesty a obliehacie práce, Blokáda, Výzbroj a výstroj za Caesara, Cisárska armáda, Hranice, Cisárske légie, Prétoriánske a mestské kohorty, Život legionára, Vojenská hierarchia, Prilba a brnenie legionára, Výzbroj a výstroj legionára, Vojsko na pochode, Pechota pomocných zborov, Obrana hraníc, Jazda, Výzbroj a výstroj jazdy, Obliehanie-taktika a obliehacie stroje, Prehliadky a športové hry, Obliehacie zbrane-barany a katapulty, Odmeny a tresty, Triumf a ovácia, Titov triumf.… (mer)