Penguin Classics - Your favourite military extracts
All of the excitement over RTW has got me reading some of my old Penguin Classics editions again, nothing better than going back to the primary sources for your battlefield descriptions !
I have quite a few favourite entries in these volumes, but two stand out for me. The first is the siege of Gamala in the volume by Josephus on The Jewish War. This has a personal interest as I was lucky enough to be part of the excavations in 1982/3 as a fledgling volunteer archaeologist at this Roman siege site. The battlefield archaeology at this site was stupendous with arrowheads, ballista heads and catapult stones littering the outer face of the town walls and nearby interior buildings, which still stand to a considerable height. The actual breach made in the town walls by a battering ram, as described by Josephus, could be clearly seen to this day. I have never had another experience like that where I have the source book in one hand and can actually see what is being described on the ground at the same time. If anyone is interested I have pics I can scan of this siege site, which is located in the Golan Heights. I also have pics of Masada, visited after the excavations finished.
The second favourite entry is Ammianus Marcellinus' description of the siege of Amida in his volume The Later Roman Empire (345-378AD). It is made all the more exciting because he was actually present at the siege and gives a really dramatic account of the Roman army being surrounded by a Sassanid Persian army. The description of the Sassanids lined up outside the town walls with their armour shimmering in the sun is not to be missed. Ammianus and a handful of others managed to escape - it was a complete shambles form the Roman point of view - I always did like those Sassanids for kicking some Roman derriere
OK - i've spilled the beans on my favourites, what are yours ?
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