You’ve read the histories (or watched the BBC shows) about ancient battles. But how did the people on the ground feel? Were they jostling shoulder-to-shoulder in a phalanx? What were the smells, sounds, and sights during the throes of battle? A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare answers those questions.

Though the author states he is writing this book for a general audience, it helps if you have some background in ancient history. Otherwise, you may be using Wikipedia frequently to get the overview of each battle before diving into the sweaty details. However, those details are fascinating.

There are six battles described within A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare: two Greek, two Roman and two others. The time period ranges from 333 bce to 544 ce. Though the battles are not placed chronologically in the book, it is interesting to see how war paraphernalia changed during the centuries.

If you enjoy war stories, ancient history, or are setting a book during this time period, A Sensory History of Ancient Warfare is a good choice. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to Pen & Sword and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a very interesting take on ancient warfare, the author attempts to take the reader back to the sites and smells of the battlefield. It’s a little patchy in places which is understandable given the issues with evidence but i thoroughly enjoyed it.

The author did an excellent job of bringing the past to the present! He goes into great detail about some of the events and explains why we think events looked, smelled, sound, and felt like they did. There were times when it felt a little spotty in description, but I understand that some of these events happened thousands of years ago and records can be hit or miss, a problem which the author addresses. Overall a good read, not at all dry. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about warfare of the past.