Concord - Tim Newark - Ancient Armies (2000).jpg

This is another wonderfully illustrated title for Concord Publishing along with 'Barbarians' and 'Imperial Rome at War.' Tim Newark provides short ovreviews of the various militaries of the the ancient world, adding some interesting anecdotes here and there - for instance, he mentions one Roman centurion charging into battle with a burning coal attached to his helmet, in order to scare the superstitious Celts!

Unfortunately, not all of Newark's writings are up to date with modern scholarship, and there are a few errors in the text. Still, the main reason to buy the book is to see Angus McBride's wonderful colour plates. There are 20 in all, these include -

1.Sumerian Warband gather outside city temple in southern Iraq, c.2500 BC.
2.Egyptian Pharaoh Horemhab fighting Nubians in Upper Nile, late 14th century BC.
3.Muwattalis, King of the Hittites, late 14th century BC.
4.Syrian archers, 14th Century BC.
5.Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II at the battle of Qadesh in Syria, 1300 BC.
6.Tiglath-Pileser III, King of Assyria, recieves the acclamation of his warriors, late 8th century BC.
7.Hoplites clash with Hoplites, Greece, 7th century BC.
8.Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, and king of Scythia at fall of Nineveh, 612 BC.
9.Cyrus, King of the Persians, at fall of Babylon, 539 BC.
10.Battle of Salamis, 480 BC.
11.Etruscans battle Celtic raiders, northern Italy, 5th century BC.
12.Alexander the Great at the siege of Tyre, 332 BC.
13.Alexander the Great's army defeats Indian warriors at the battle of Hydaspes in northern India, 326 BC.
14.Carthaginian and Celtic Warriors, 218 BC.
15.Carthaginian African cavalry drive Romans into the river at Trebia, 218 BC.
16.Carthaginian war elephant attacking Romans, 218 BC.
17.Carthaginians attack Romans at the battle of Zama, 202 BC.
18.Seleucid war elephant, 190 BC.
19.Romans clash with Gauls, 52 BC.
20.Celtic British chariots charge Roman formations in southern Britain, 1st century BC.

There are also two pages on ancient headgear and helmets, although these are just black and white line drawings.

All in all, I recommend this to anyone who is curious about Bronze and Iron age warfare and would like a great visual guide to this period.