The Byzantine Art of War (Paperback)
Imprint: Westholme
Pages: 267
ISBN: 9781594162718
Published: 10th April 2017
Last Released: 30th September 2024
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Throughout its history the Byzantine empire faced a multitude of challenges from foreign invadersthe Hunnic hordes of Attila, the Arab armies of Islam, and the western Crusadersall seeking to plunder its wealth and to occupy its lands. In order to survive the Byzantines relied on their army that was for centuries the only standing, professional force in Europe. Leadership provided another key to survival; Byzantine society produced a number of capable strategic thinkers and tacticiansand several brilliant ones, such as Belisarius. These officers maintained a level of professionalism and organization inherited and adapted from Roman models. The innovations of the Byzantine military reforms of the sixth century included the use of steppe nomad equipment and tactics, the most important of which was the refinement of the Roman mounted archer. The Arab conquests led to a sharp decline in the number and quality of imperial forces; therefore, by the eighth and ninth centuries, Byzantine commanders mastered the art of the small war, waging guerrilla campaigns, raids, and flying column attacks that injured the enemy but avoided the decisive confrontation the empire was no longer capable of winning. This work further sketches the key campaigns, battles, and sieges that illustrate Byzantine military doctrine, vital changes from one era to another, the composition of forces and the major victories and defeats that defined the territory and material well-being of its citizens. Through a summary of their strategies, tactics, and innovations in the tools of war, The Byzantine Art of War closes with an analysis of the contributions of this remarkable empire to world military history.
The author provides the reader with a real companion that allows a rational and organic approach to a fascinating and complex subject.
STORIA militare, December 2017
As featured by
VaeVictis, September/October 2017
The scope of Professor Michael Decker's book on the Byzantine Art of War is daunting and it is to his credit that it remains readable even while he spans the centuries over the course of just a few pages. I approached the book with only a cursory knowledge of the Byzantine period, but left it with a new found fascination and sense of awe - not least at the sheer longevity of the empire.
Amazon Reviewer US
The book itself is incredibly well researched, drawing from original and contemporary material to provide an overview not just of the military strategies and the art of war, but also of the mechanics of the empire - such as the sophisticated postal system; as well as the equipment involved with, and the logistics of supplying, the changing Byzantine military.
Similarly, Professor Decker touches on the ways in which the political and geographical landscape changed over the many years of the empire and how those changes impacted and were reflected in the military strategies adopted; while also exploring the role the empire's many enemies played in shaping the development of the Byzantine art of war.
Professor Decker provides a discussion of the various viewpoints on much of what he covers, making it clear where there are disagreements in the literature while always stating his own interpretation clearly. As such, his book serves as an excellent starting point for further investigation of the literature.
Some of the most enjoyable parts of the book are where Professor Decker focusses on some of the significant individuals from the Byzantine period, such as Belisarios, in the section on leadership; and I'd be very happy to see some of these mini biographies extended into longer pieces elsewhere.
In his final chapter, Professor Decker looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the Byzantine art of war and the influence of the empire, during and beyond its long existence, as well as the reasons for its eventual demise. He also introduces some fascinating information about the sophistication of the weaponry available by the end of the empire, including flame throwers and grenades!
He concludes that the military legacy of the empire is hard to trace, but I for one was fascinated by the different influences he discusses around the events in Britain in 1066, from Harald Hardrada's past in the Varangian Guard to the tactics employed by William the Conqueror during the Battle of Hastings.
About Michael J. Decker
MICHAEL J. DECKER is Maroulis Professor of Byzantine History at the University of South Florida. He has worked extensively on the archaeology and history of the Byzantine state in the Middle East and North Africa. His publications include Tilling the Hateful Earth (Oxford, 2010), an exploration of economy and society in the Levant in the centuries prior to the Islamic conquests.