From the Trojan War, to the Persian conflicts up to the Macedonian conquest, through great battles from Marathon to Issus. Cradle of Western civilization, the foundations of modern thought were laid in ancient Greece, but also bloody battles and total wars. It is the epic story of the hoplite, armed with a shield, helmet, and breastplates. And also of the Macedonian phalanx. By reviewing the most significant armies and clashes, on land and at sea, of a failed empire. —description from the publisher