English summary: Polyaenus is the author of a Greek collection of some 900 stratagems by men and women, dedicated to the Roman emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. The seven original essays in this volume - four of them in English - the author and his work are studied and and interpreted in the context of the Second Sophistic. With contributions by Elisabetta Bianco (Torino), Kai Brodersen (Erfurt), Klaus Geus (Berlin), James Morton (Kingston ON), Maria Pretzler (Swansea), Veit Rosenberger (Erfurt), Everett L. Wheeler (Durham NC). Polyainos verfaate im 2. Jh. n.Chr. eine Sammlung von etwa 900 "Strategemen" von Mannern und Frauen in griechischer Sprache, die den romischen Kaisern Marcus Aurelius und Lucius Verus gewidmet ist. In sieben hier erstmals publizierten Studien werden der Autor und sein Werk im Kontext der Zweiten Sophistik neu erschlossen und interpretiert. Beitrage von / Contributions by Elisabetta Bianco (Torino), Kai Brodersen (Erfurt), Klaus Geus (Berlin), James Morton (Kingston ON), Maria Pretzler (Swansea), Veit Rosenberger (Erfurt), Everett L. Wheeler (Durham NC).

Preliminary Material /Everett L. Wheeler -- Strategema and Stratagem /Everett L. Wheeler -- The Greek Vocabulary of Stratagem /Everett L. Wheeler -- The Latin Vocabulary of Stratagem /Everett L. Wheeler -- The Concept of vox Media /Everett L. Wheeler -- Bibliography /Everett L. Wheeler -- Index of Greek and Latin Words /Everett L. Wheeler -- General Index /Everett L. Wheeler.

"A comprehensive look at WMD's antecedents, from flamethrowers of the Peloponnesian War to plague-bearing booby traps.... Rich and entertaining." -Newsweek Featuring a new introduction by the author. Flamethrowers, poison gases, incendiary bombs, the large-scale spreading of disease... are these terrifying agents and implements of warfare modern inventions? Not by a long shot. Weapons of biological and chemical warfare have been in use for thousands of years, and Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs, Adrienne Mayor's fascinating exploration of the origins of biological and unethical warfare draws extraordinary connections between the mythical worlds of Hercules and the Trojan War, the accounts of Herodotus and Thucydides, and modern methods of war and terrorism. Greek Fire, Poison Arrows & Scorpion Bombs will catapult readers into the dark and fascinating realm of ancient war and mythic treachery-and their devastating consequences.

Presents the first comprehensive study of the 'Byzantine Google' and how it reshaped Byzantine court culture in the tenth century.

Philip II of Macedonia (382–336 BCE), unifier of Greece, author of Greece's first federal constitution, founder of the first territorial state with a centralized administrative structure in Europe, forger of the first Western national army, first great general of the Greek imperial age, strategic and tactical genius, and military reformer who revolutionized warfare in Greece and the West, was one of the greatest captains in the military history of the West. Philip prepared the ground, assembled the resources, conceived the strategic vision, and launched the first modern, tactically sophisticated and strategically capable army in Western military history, making the later victories of his son Alexander possible. Philip's death marked the passing of the classical age of Greek history and warfare and the beginning of its imperial age. To Philip belongs the title of the first great general of a new age of warfare in the West, an age that he initiated with his introduction of a new instrument of war, the Macedonian phalanx, and the tactical doctrines to ensure its success. As a practitioner of the political art, Philip also had no equal. In all these things, Philip exceeded Alexander's triumphs. This book establishes Philip's legitimate and deserved place in military history, which, until now, has been largely minimized in favor of his son by the classicist writers who have dominated the field of ancient biography. Richard Gabriel, renowned military historian, has given us the first military biography of Philip II of Macedonia.

The Letters of Pliny the Younger, also known as the Epistles of Pliny the Younger, have been studied for centuries, as they offer a unique and intimate glimpse into the daily life of Romans in the 1st century AD. Through his letters, the Roman writer and lawyer Pliny the Younger (whose full name was Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus) discusses philosophical and moral issues; but he also talks about everyday matters and topics related to his administrative duties. One of these letters, Letter 16 from Book VI, addressed to Tacitus, holds unparalleled historical value. In it, Pliny describes the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which destroyed the city of Pompeii. Many scholars claim that with his letters, Pliny invented a new literary genre: the letter written not only to establish pleasant communication with peers but also to publish it later. Pliny compiled copies of every letter he wrote throughout his life and published those he considered the best in twelve books. This edition presents selected letters chosen for their various characteristics and covering several books, focusing mainly on Books I, II, and III. The work is part of the famous collection: 501 Books You Must Read.