Product Description

Written by Trevor Bryce, one of the world's leading experts on the Hittites, this book charts the rise and fall of a warrior people famed for the ferocity, who built an empire which stretched from Mesopotamia to Syria and Palestine. For nearly a century the Hittites fought a draining war against the Egyptians - the climax of which saw the Hittites defeated and their 400-year-old empire destroyed at Qadesh. Bryce details the day-to-day lives of the Hittite warriors, examining their training, equipment, tactics and their unique attitude to religion and warrior ethos. This book is a fascinating and enlightening addition to an often ignored subject.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #192543 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .0 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent History, but the illustrations leave don't really match the text.
I was fascinated to see this book published as Trevor Bryce is the mega expert on the Hittites and as far as the text goes that really does hold true. Herein we have an excellent picture of the mechanics of military activity within the Hittite state in perhaps a more readable format than some of Trevor Bryce's more academic studies. What did disappoint were the illustrations that did not really match the text. We did not see the various interpretations of Hittite fighting appearance or illustration such as the Hittite "tropical" appearance at Kadesh as well as possible reconstructions of Hittite body protection mentioned in the text. Also slightly dissapointing is the fact that Hittite armies were composed of various other subject people's from Anatolia and the Levant such as the dreaded Gasgans/Kaskans (who finished off the Hittites) and others like those of Ugarit and Lukka who contributed troops. Maybe I'm being a bit unfair because there aren't a huge number of accessible books for wargamers like myself in this period but I think this is a bit of frustration on my part as a few of these Osprey titles in the later Bronze Age which promise much but seem never to get to grips with what I want to know. Ironically the most pleasingly comprehensive study, was the Elite: New Kingdom Egypt. So generally this book gets reasonably close but definitely no cigar!

Highly Readable and Brilliantly Illustrated
Trevor Bryce is one of the leading historians of the Ancient Hittites of Anatolia. He has written a number of books on the subject as well as a few articles in historical and archaeological journals. Unfortunately most of these are either very expensive or very difficult to get hold of. It was therefore a pleasure to read such a wonderfully written and accessible book on such an obscure subject.

In this book Bryce traces the equipment, appearance and training of the Hittite Warrior. It covers everything from the design of shields, swords and bows and arrows, to Hittite chariot divisions and the soldier's life on campaign.
Mr. Bryce also discusses topics such as the brief appearance of the Hittite Navy at the very end of the Empire, the army in battle, and the dangers and pitfalls of siege warfare.
He is able to display the might and power of the Hittite army, but he also shows its weaknesses, such as the inability to deal with guerilla warfare, and the limited amount of time to wage a campaign (the army had to return to Hattusha before the winter snows set in). This gives the reader a better understanding of the mechanics of Hittite warfare.

Mr. Bryce also discusses the Hittite Royal Bodyguards, the 'Men of the Golden Spear'. Sadly though, these elite guardsmen aren't displayed in Adam Hook's excellent colour plates, and if these illustrations are anything to go by, then the infantry and chariot divisions seemed to be rather uniform, with both groups wearing identical costumes and carrying similar equipment. There isn't much historical or archaeological evidence for the Hittite's appearance, and so there does seem to be some guess work in Hook's art. Nonetheless they are excellent. Dozens of photographs and a few maps help compliment the text.

Overall this is a well written and very readable look at Hittite warriors and warfare. If you have an interest in this subject then this book should be your first buy. Highly Recommended!