The Byzantines had a remarkably sophisticated approach to politics and military strategy. Unlike most of their contemporaries, they learnt very early in their history that winning a battle did not necessarily win a war, and they frequently bought off their enemies with treaties and bribes rather than squander men and materiel in potentially fruitless campaigns. The Byzantine army of the 10th and early 11th centuries, at the height of its power and efficiency, was the best-organised, best-trained, best-equipped and highest-paid in the known world. This splendid book by Ian Heath examines the...

An unrivaled source of information on the uniforms, insignia and appearance of the world's fighting men of past and present. The Men-at-Arms titles cover subjects as diverse as the Imperial Roman army, the Napoleonic wars and German airborne troops in a popular 48-page format including some 40 photographs, and eight full-colour plates.

During the 14th and 15th centuries military tactics in Europe underwent a period of sustained transformation of which the outcome was the rejuvenation of the footsoldier as the major tactical unit. One nation alone stands principally responsible for this development - the Swiss Confederation. For centuries the mounted knights had 'ridden roughshod over the populations of Europe'. It was in the Swiss halberdier and later the pikeman that the mounted men-at-arms were to meet their match. This absorbing text by Douglas Miller provides an account of rise of the Swiss army to its tactical zenith,...

In the year 1900, an unprecedented co-operation occurred between the eight major military powers of the world. For more than a year military and naval personnel from Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States fought together against a common enemy. That enemy was a society whose goal was the extermination of all 'foreign devils' in China - the I Ho Ch'uan, or Righteous Harmonious Fists, better known to the West as the Boxers. This engaging account, packed with original photographs and full colour artwork, tells the story of this unique...

The succession of the French Duke of Anjou to the Spanish throne in 1700 provoked the formation of a Grand Alliance to thwart the king's expansionist ambitions. Led by the Duke of Marlborough, the army of the Grand Alliance declared war on France. Between 1702 and 1711, this united force, comprised of English, Dutch, Danish, Prussian, Austrian and other German troops, were victorious at such historic battles as Blenheim, Oudenarde and Malplaquet. This book chronicles Marlborough's campaigns in the War of the Spanish Succession, detailing the tactics, troops and uniforms of his army.

Coats of arms were at first used only by kings and princes, then by their great nobles, but by the mid-13th century arms were being used extensively by the lesser nobility, knights and those who later came to be styled gentlemen. In some countries the use of arms spread even to merchants, townspeople and the peasantry. From the mundane to the fantastic, from simple geometric patterns to elaborate mythological beasts, this fascinating work by Terence Wise explores the origins and appearance of medieval heraldic devices in an engagingly readable style accompanied by numerous illustrations...

The Men-at-Arms titles cover subjects as diverse as the Imperial Roman army, the Napoleonic wars and German airborne troops in a popular 48-page format including some 40 photographs and diagrams, and eight full-colour plates.

The Spanish Civil War had been a conflict between the nationalists and conservatives on one side, and what they saw as the opposing anarchic atheistic Marxism which was eroding the traditional Catholic values of Spain. The nationalists eventually won with the aid of Germany against the Soviet backed Marxists, and four years later, the Spaniards seized the opportunity to settle a score with those who had attempted to disintegrate their country. John Scurr's book provides an absorbing account of the organisation, campaigns and uniforms of Germany's Spanish volunteers who fought from 1941-45.

This text by Terence Wise explores some of the fascinating peoples who comprised the ancient armies of the Middle East: the Sumerians, who were the first to introduce the use of bronze into warfare, and were centuries ahead of the Egyptians in the use of the wheel - The Akkadians, whose citizen army was composed almost entirely of light troops - The Babylonians, whose people were granted land in return for army service - the horned warriors of the Elamites - the Egyptians, with thier heavy spearmen and archers - the tribal and warlike Libyans - Nubians and Ethiopians - Hyksos - the armies of...

The Restoration of 1660 is often quoted as the birth date of our modern British Army. While this may be true as far as continuity of unit identity is concerned, the evidence of history shows that the creation of an efficient military machine, and its proving on the battlefield, predates the Restoration by 15 years. It was on the battlefields of the Civil War that the foundations of the British professional army were laid. Here, supported by a wide variety of photographs and eight full colour plates, Stuart Asquith details the history, organisation, weapons and equipment of the New Model...