The Armies of Ancient Persia

The Armies of Ancient Persia PDF

Author: Kaveh Farrokh

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2014-02-28

Total Pages: 746

ISBN-13: 1473883180

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Throughout most of the classical period, Persia was one of the great superpowers, placing a limit on the expansion of Western powers. It was the most formidable rival to the Roman empire for centuries, until Persia, by then under the Sassanians, was overwhelmed by the Islamic conquests in the seventh century AD. Yet, the armies of ancient Persia have received relatively little detailed attention, certainly in comparison to those of Rome. This work is the firsst of three volumes that will form the most comprehensive study of ancient Persian armies available.The Sassanians, the native Iranian dynasty that ousted their Parthian overlords in AD 226, developed a highly sophisticated army that was able for centuries to hold off all comers. They continued the Parthians famous winning combination of swift horse archers with heavily-armored cataphract cavalry, also making much use of war elephants, but Kaveh Farrokh interestingly demonstrates that their oft-maligned infantry has been much underestimated.The author, born in Athens, Greece, and expert in ancient Persian languages and military history, has been researching the military history and technology of Persia for a quarter of a century. He draws on the latest research and new archaeological evidence, focusing on the organization, equipment and tactics of the armies that dominated the ancient Middle East for so long.

Ancient Persian Warfare

Ancient Persian Warfare PDF

Author: Phyllis G. Jestice

Publisher: Gareth Stevens

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 36

ISBN-13: 9781433919732

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This volume provides a basic introduction to warfare as it was practiced in ancient Persia.

Armies of Ancient Persia

Armies of Ancient Persia PDF

Author: Marek Adam Wozniak

Publisher: Winged Hussar Publishing

Published: 2019-12-03

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781945430084

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A military history of ancient Persia from its founding to the the end of the Sasanid Empire translated from Polish The Armies of Ancient Persia is a translation of Marek Adam Wozniak’s original Polish manuscript detailing the rise and fall of the Persian armies from Cyrus the Great to the fall of the Sasanid Empire. Relying on a wealth of recent archeological evidence and studies, Dr. Wozniak provide a detail picture of the recruitment, organization, armament and battles of one of the largest armies of the ancient world.

Immortal, Updated Edition

Immortal, Updated Edition PDF

Author: Steven R. Ward

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2014-01-08

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 1626160325

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Immortal, now in an updated paperback edition, is the only single-volume English-language survey of Iran’s military history. CIA analyst Steven R. Ward shows that Iran’s soldiers, from the famed “Immortals” of ancient Persia to today’s Revolutionary Guard, have demonstrated through the centuries that they should not be underestimated. This history also provides background on the nationalist, tribal, and religious heritages of the country to help readers better understand Iran and its security outlook. Drawing on a wide range of sources including declassified documents, the author gives primary focus to the modern era to relate the buildup of the military under the last Shah, its collapse during the Islamic revolution, its fortunes in the Iran-Iraq War, and its rise from the ashes to help Iran become once again a major regional military power.

Shadows in the Desert

Shadows in the Desert PDF

Author: Kaveh Farrokh

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 2009-03-24

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781846034732

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The empires of ancient Persia remain as mysterious today as they were to contemporary Western scholars. Although Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia is legendary, the military successes of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanian empires, along with their revolutionary military technology, tactics, and culture have been almost forgotten in the sands of the East. Containing information never before published in English, Shadows in the Desert offers a comprehensive history of Persia's wars with East and West which spanned over a millennium, and offers an insight into the exchange of ideas and culture that occurred during these clashes between East and West, not only military technology, but influences in the arts, medicine, religion and science. This beautifully illustrated book delves into the rich heritage of the Persians, which was spread around the world through war and conquest, and which, after the fall of the Sassanians, continued to impact upon civilizations around the world.

History of the Persian Empire

History of the Persian Empire PDF

Author: A. T. Olmstead

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2022-08-29

Total Pages: 671

ISBN-13: 0226826333

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Out of a lifetime of study of the ancient Near East, Professor Olmstead has gathered previously unknown material into the story of the life, times, and thought of the Persians, told for the first time from the Persian rather than the traditional Greek point of view. "The fullest and most reliable presentation of the history of the Persian Empire in existence."—M. Rostovtzeff

Iran at War

Iran at War PDF

Author: Kaveh Farrokh

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2011-12-20

Total Pages: 489

ISBN-13: 1780962401

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Following on from his award-winning book on the history of ancient Persia, Kaveh Farrokh goes on to examine Iran's wartime history from the Safavid dynasty of the 16th and 17th century through to the 1979 Revolution and beyond. He shows how the early military successes were followed by centuries of defeat as the external influences of nations like Russia and Britain began to shape the internal history of Iran, before unraveling the complex, violent 20th century military history of the country, which encompasses two world wars, regional movements, foreign intervention, anti-government revolts, conflicts on the Soviet border, a revolution and an eight-year war with Iraq. Illustrated with contemporary illustrations and photographs this book provides an unparalleled investigation into the bloody martial history of Iran.

Empires of Ancient Persia

Empires of Ancient Persia PDF

Author: Michael Burgan

Publisher: Infobase Publishing

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 1438127847

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For almost 1,200 years, the Persians ruled a territory that stretched from the Black Sea into Central Asia, from India to Egypt and into the fringes of southern Europe. During that period from 550 BCE to 651 CE, the ancient Persians learned to cultivate crops such as wheat and barley and to domesticate animals; they also demonstrated their talents for architecture and art by building enormous palaces, such as at the site of Persepolis, and through intricate art painted on pottery. As their neighbors, particularly the Macedonian prince Alexander the Great, grew stronger, ancient Persia struggled to maintain its authority. Despite their eventual decline, the Persian empires had significant influence on the ancient world, including the idea of worshipping a single god. As the first monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism would lay the foundation for the development of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Empires of Ancient Persia looks at the rise and fall of the Persian empires, the daily life of the people, and their influence on subsequent civilizations.

The Persian Army 560–330 BC

The Persian Army 560–330 BC PDF

Author: Nicholas Sekunda

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 1992-09-25

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781855322509

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The Persian Empire grew in the vacuum left by Assyria's destruction of the Kingdom of Elam (648 BC). Prince Teispes captured Anshan, once a stonghold of the Elamites. His father, Achaemenes is the person who is apparently responsible for training and organising the early Persian army and it is his name that is the beginning of the royal line of Achaemenian Kings. It is a dynasty which includes Darius the Great – the finest ruler of the Achaemenid era. The army he commanded included the infamous 'Immortals', who formed the elite of the Persian army, their numbers always kept to exactly 10,000 men.

The Scythians 700–300 BC

The Scythians 700–300 BC PDF

Author: E.V. Cernenko

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-05-20

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13: 178096773X

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Though the 'Scythian period' in the history of Eastern Europe lasted little more than 400 years, the impression these horsemen made upon the history of their times was such that a thousand years after they had ceased to exist as a sovereign people, their heartland and the territories which they dominated far beyond it continued to be known as 'greater Scythia'. From the very beginnings of their emergence on the world scene the Scythians took part in the greatest campaigns of their times, defeating such mighty contemporaries as Assyria, Urartu, Babylonia, Media and Persia. This highly illustrated book details their costume, weapons and the way they waged war.