This book gives an authoritative, up-to-date, and compendious account of the history, institutions and culture of India from the earliest times to the advent of the Moslem period. It is based on all available materials--literary, epigraphic, and numismatic--and is written in a most elegant, sober, and lucid style. The author brings to bear upon his task not only profound scholarship and critical acumen but also a scrupulous regard for historical truth, accuracy of facts and impartiality of judgement. The merit of the book has been enhanced by an exhaustive Bibliography and a comprehensive Index. Students, scholars and the general reader alike will find the book highly interesting, useful and valuable for study and references.

Alexander the Great: A New History combines traditional scholarship with contemporary research to offer an innovative treatment of one of history’s most famous figures. Written by leading experts in the field Looks at a wide range of diverse topics including Alexander’s religious views, his entourage during his campaign East, his sexuality, the influence of his legacy, and his representations in art and cinema Discusses Alexander’s influence, from his impact on his contemporaries to his portrayals in recent Hollywood films A highly informed and enjoyable resource for students and interested general readers

From the Publisher: With his unprecedented conquests from Greece in the west to India in the East, Alexander the Great was the type of man that legends are made of; therein lies the problem for those studying him. Ought we to accept the image of a dashing king enjoying a string of spectacular successes, or adopt a more cynical evaluation, taking note of all the negative aspects of his reign? In the light of the evidence at our disposal, does he even deserve to be called "Great"? This exciting new volume is an indispensable guide for undergraduates to the study of Alexander the Great, showing the problems of the ancient source material, and making it clear that there is no single approach to be taken. The eleven thematic chapters contain a broad selection of the most significant published articles about Alexander, examining the main areas of debate and discussion: the sources; Alexander's background; Alexander's aims; Alexander and the Greeks; Alexander and Asia; Alexander, India and the Final Years; Alexander as General; Alexander and "The unity of Mankind"; Alexander and Deification; Alexander and Conspiracies; Alexander: The 'Great'? The Reader has the distinctive feature of translating a substantial number of the more inaccessible primary sources; each chapter is also prefaced with a succinct introduction to the topic under consideration.

Gabriel examines 18 ancient army systems, examining the organizational structure and weapons employed and the degree to which cultural values and imperatives shaped the form and application of military force. The tactical doctrines and specific operational capabilities of each army are analyzed to explain how certain technical limitations and societal/cultural imperatives affected the operational capabilities of ancient armies. Cross-cultural and cross-historical connections ground the analysis in the larger historical context of the ancient world. Gabriel examines 18 ancient army systems, examining the organizational structure and weapons employed and the degree to which cultural values and imperatives shaped the form and application of military force. The tactical doctrines and specific operational capabilities of each army are analyzed to explain how certain technical limitations and societal/cultural imperatives affected the operational capabilities of ancient armies. Cross-cultural and cross-historical connections ground the analysis in the larger historical context of the ancient world. DBLSumer and AkkadLDBLThe Armies of the PharaohsLDBLThe HittitesL DBLThe MitanniLDBLArmies of the BibleLDBLThe Iron Army of AssyriaLDBLChinese ArmiesLDBLPersia and the Art of LogisticsLDBLThe GreeksLDBLCarthaginian ArmiesLDBLArmies of IndiaLDBLRomeLDBLThe Iberians, Celts, Germans, and GothsLDBLThe Army of ByzantiumLDBLThe VikingsLDBLThe Arab ArmiesLDBLThe Japanese Way of WarLDBLThe MongolsLDBLThe OttomansLThis book also provides an introductory overview of war in the ancient world, from 2500 B.C.E. to 1453 C.E., as well as an examination of the evolution of modern warfare from 1453 to 2002 C.E.

This book gives an authoritative, up-to-date, and compendious account of the history, institutions and culture of India from the earliest times to the advent of the Moslem period. It is based on all available materials--literary, epigraphic, and numismatic--and is written in a most elegant, sober, and lucid style. The author brings to bear upon his task not only profound scholarship and critical acumen but also a scrupulous regard for historical truth, accuracy of facts and impartiality of judgement. The merit of the book has been enhanced by an exhaustive Bibliography and a comprehensive Index. Students, scholars and the general reader alike will find the book highly interesting, useful and valuable for study and references.

Plutarch and Arrian are the ancient writers who tell us most about Alexander the Great. This book is the first attempt to analyze and evaluate in detail the sources of information they themselves drew on, a necessary first step to appreciating the value of their own accounts. It completes Professor Hammond's study of the five Alexander-historians which began with Three Historians of Alexander the Great (Cambridge University Press 1983) and lays a new basis for work on Alexander.

Text extracted from opening pages of book: BYZANTIUM AN INTRODUCTION TO EAST ROMAN CIVILIZATION Edited by NORMAN H. BAYNES and H. St. L. B. MOSS OXFORD AT THE CLARENDON PRESS Oxford University Press, Amen House, London E. G. 4 GLASGOW NEW YORE TORONTO MELBOURNE WELLINGTON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MADRAS KARACHI CAPE TOWN IBADAN Geoffrey Cumberlege, Publisher to the University FIRST PUBLISHED 1948 REPRINTED WITH CORRECTIONS 1949 REPRODUCED LITHOGRAPHICALLY IN GREAT BRITAIN AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, OXFORD, 1953 FROM SHEETS OF THE SECOND IMPRESSION BY CHARLES BATEY, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY NOTE THIS book was being prepared for publication before the outbreak of war and all the translations of chapters written by foreign scholars had been approved by their authors. We desire to thank Miss Louise Stone ( King's College, University of London) for her help in rendering into English the French texts. Mr. Moss, besides contributing the section of Chapter I on Byzantine history down to the Fourth Crusade, has throughout helped me in the preparation of this book for the press and is solely responsible for the choice of the illustra tions. I have added a few bibliographical notes which are placed within square brackets. N. H. B. CONTENTS Introduction. NORMAN H. BAYNES xv i. The History of the Byzantine Empire: an Outline ( A) From A. D. 330 to the Fourth Crusade. H. ST. L. B. MOSS ..... I ( B) From A. D. 1204 to A. D. 1453. CH. DIEHL 33 n. The Economic Life of the Byzantine Empire: Population, Agriculture, Industry, Commerce. ANDR M. ANDR& VDES 51 in. Public Finances: Currency, Public Expenditure, Budget, Public Revenue. ANDRM. ANDRADJ; S 71 iv. The Byzantine Church. HENRI GRGOIRE. . 86 v. ByzantineMonasticism. HIPPOLYTE DELEHAYE . 136 vi. Byzantine Art. CH. DIEHL . . . .166 vii. Byzantine Education. GEORGINA BUCKLER . 200 viii. Byzantine Literature. F. H. MARSHALL and JOHN MAVROGORDATO . . . . .221 ix. The Greek Language in the Byzantine Period. R. M. DAWKINS . . . . . .252 x. The Emperor and the Imperial Administration. WILHELM ENSSLIN ..... 268 xi. Byzantium and Islam. A. A. VASILIEV . . 308 xii. The Byzantine Inheritance in South-eastern Europe. WILLIAM MILLER .... 326 xiii. Byzantium and the Slavs. STEVEN RUNCIMAN . 338 xiv. The Byzantine Inheritance in Russia. BARON MEYENDORFF and NORMAN H. BAYNES . 369 Bibliographical Appendix . 392 A List of East Roman Emperors . .422 Index .... . 424 LIST OF PLATES 1. View of Constantinople. From a drawing by W. H. Bartlett in Beauties of the Bosphorus, by J. Pardoe. ( London, 1840.) Frontispiece PLATES 2-48 ( at end) 2. Walls of Constantinople. Ibid. 3. Tekfur Serai, Constantinople. Ibid. This building, which may have formed part of the Palace of Blachernae, residence of the later Byzantine Emperors ( see p. 181), has been variously assigned to the nth-i2th and ( owing to the character of its decoration) to the 1 3th 1 4th centuries. 4. Cistern ( Yere Batan Serai), Constantinople. Ibid. 6th century. 5. St. Sophia, Constantinople. Exterior. 532-7. Seep. 167. From Ch. Diehl, UArt chretien primitif et I* Art iyzantin ( Van Oest, Paris). 6. St. Sophia, Constantinople. Interior. 532-7. See p. 168. 7. Kalat Seman, Syria. Church of St. Simeon Stylites. End of 5th century. Seep. 172. 8. Church at Aghthamar, Armenia. 915-21. From J. Ebersolt, Monuments d* Architecture byzantine ( Les Editions d'art et d'histoire, Paris). 9. Church at Kaisariani, near Athens. End of i oth century. Photo graph by A. K. Wickham. io. Church of the Holy Apostles, Salonica. 1312-15, Seep. 180. From J. Ebersolt, op. cit. n. Church at NagoriCino, Serbia. Early I4th century. See p. 194. From G. Millet, UAncien Art Serbe: les glises ( Boccard, Paris). 12. Church of the Holy Archangels, Lesnovo, Serbia. 1341. See p. 194. From J. Ebersolt, op. cit. 13. Fetiyeh Djami, Constantinople. Church of the Virgin Pamma karistos. Early I4th century. See p. 192. Ibid. 14. Mosaic. Justinian and suite ( detail). San Vi tale, Ravenna. 526-47. Seep. 176.