The Parthians were a warrior people. Though possessing no regular army they were superb horsemen and archers, and in time of war the nobility provided heavily armoured knights mounted on weight-carrying chargers. During the Battle of Carrhae (53 BC), it is believed that 20,000 Roman troops out of a force of about 36,000 died at the hands of the Parthians. In the third of four volumes covering Rome's enemies, this fascinating text by Peter Wilcox examines the armies and campaigns of the Parthians and Sassanid Persians. This worthy addition to Osprey's Men-at-Arms series contains a wealth of...

England 1000 Wulfnoth , the father of Earl Godwin and grandfather of King Harold, is historically a shadowy figure: his name appears on four extant royal diplomas; he is mentioned only once in The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles; and he is referred to in passing in a bequest in Prince Athelstan's will which reads I grant to Godwin, Wulfnoth's son, the estate at Compton which his father possessed. Wulfnoth traces the life of the obscure Sussex thegn torn between his stewardship of the Compton Estate and his duty to serve the unpredictable King Aethelred, a role which draws him into a bitter...