Giuseppe Rava – illustratör

This colourful study investigates the Byzantine and Seljuk forces that fought in a series of battles with profound implications for the Middle East during the 11th and 12th centuries.The Byzantine defeat at Manzikert in one of history’s pivotal battles resulted in the victorious Seljuk Turks pushing west to the Bosporus. Byzantine appeals for aid sparked the First Crusade, as the Byzantines and Seljuks continued to fight their own private war for control of the Anatolian peninsula (present-day Turkey).In this account, Si Sheppard examines the fighting men on both sides of this critical struggle, as the Byzantine armies stabilized their Empire’s eastern frontier, reclaiming control over the coastline, while the Seljuk forces tightened their grip in its interior. Placing the two sides’ struggle in the wider political and military context, he shows how this war of raid and counter-raid periodically flared up into full scale military commitments by both sides; the outcome of this stand-off hung in the balance, hinging on one wrong move, one decisive victory.Incorporating carefully chosen photographs, specially drawn maps and vivid original artwork, this book also analyses the battles of Manzikert (1071), Philomelion (1116) and Myriokephalon (1176), three decisive encounters that determined not just the ultimate fate of the Anatolian peninsula, but the Levant to its east and Balkans to its west for centuries to come.

The Great Northern War was a long series of campaigns in which Russia, linked with several other countries in temporary alliances, confronted and eventually replaced Sweden as the predominant power in Northern Europe.While contemporary with the Duke of Marlborough's pivotal campaigns against France, the Great Northern War was in fact more decisive, since it reshaped the Northern European power balance up to the eve of the Napoleonic Wars.It began with a series of astonishing Swedish victories lead by King Charles XII, from Denmark to Poland and deep into Germany. But Peter the Great of Russia showed steadfast determination, and Charles overreached himself when he invaded Russia in 1708; the Russians adopted classic 'scorched earth' tactics until they could destroy the Swedish army at Poltava in 1709, one of the most overwhelming victories in history. Nevertheless, Sweden continued to fight, and frequently win, in Germany, Denmark and Norway, until Charles's death in battle in 1718, though the war itself did not conclude until 1721.This study explores, in detail, the numerous armies and complex alliances engaged in the war for Northern European dominance, containing accurate full-colour artwork and unrivalled detail.

The Italian Renaissance marked a period of political and military turmoil, which saw trained infantry and firearms challenging the domination of heavy armoured cavalry.Many regional wars were fought between the states ruled by Milan, Venice, Genoa, Florence, the Papacy, Siena and Naples. Major foreign powers also exploited these divisions to invade Italy: both France and Spain made temporary alliances with city states to further their ambitions, and early in the 16th century the Emperor Charles V sent armies from his German realms to support the Spanish.These wars coincided with the growth of disciplined infantry – carrying not only polearms and crossbows but also hand­guns – which proved capable of challenging the previously dominant armoured knights. The widespread use of mercenaries ushered in the early development of the 'pike and shot' era that succeeded the 'High Middle Ages'. During this period costumes, armour and weapons varied greatly due to their national origins and to the evolution of tactics and technology.This masterfully illustrated study offers a fascinating insight into the many armies which fought in Italy during this turbulent period, explaining not only their arms and equipment, but also their structure and successes and failures on the battlefield.

A detailed account of the bloody capture of Shanghai and Nanjing by Japan in the early days of World War II in the East.From 1931, China and Japan had been embroiled in a number of small-scale conflicts that had seen vast swathes of territory being occupied by the Japanese. On 7 July 1937, the Japanese engineered the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, which led to the fall of Beijing and Tianjin and the start of a de facto state of war between the two countries. This force then moved south, landing an expeditionary force to take Shanghai and from there drive west to capture Nanjing. The battle of Shanghai was the first large-scale urban warfare of World War II and one of the bloodiest battles of the entire Sino-Japanese War. The determined resistance by Chinese inflicted sizable Japanese casualties, and may well have contributed to the subsequent massacre of prisoners and civilians in the battle of Nanjing, tarnishing Japan's reputation in the eyes of the world.This fully illustrated book tells the story of the Japanese assault on these two great Chinese cities.

Renowned authority M. C. Bishop investigates the origins, development, manufacture, decoration and use of the Roman cavalry helmet.Roman cavalry helmets of the Republican period at first differed little from the infantry helmets and identifying them proves a challenging but not impossible task. In this study, M.C. Bishop reveals how changes to the Roman Army under the Principate at the end of the 1st century BC, not least the incorporation of auxiliary forces, brought changes, with cavalry and infantry helmet types soon diverging. Notably, the Principate saw the introduction of face-mask helmets specifically for use in the hippika gymnasia, a form of combined mounted training and display manoeuvres.As with Roman infantry helmets, contact with Eastern cultures led to completely new types of cavalry helmet being introduced. As this study shows, this simplified helmet manufacture and ultimately led directly to a variety of post-Roman helmet types found, among others, with Saxon and Viking warriors. All of these types are described and illustrated in this ground-breaking work, featuring eight pages of specially commissioned full-colour artwork. This timely and accessible book builds on new finds and the latest research to chart the origins, evolution and legacy of the Roman cavalry helmet.

Fully illustrated, this book assesses the Roman and Dacian fighting men who clashed in three bloody encounters during the Dacian Wars of AD 85–106.While the Roman emperor Trajan’s two campaigns against the Dacian people (AD 101–02 and 105–06) are widely known, the earlier conflicts between the Dacians and their Roman neighbours are also important. Drawing upon the latest research and findings, this fully illustrated study investigates the emperor Domitian’s Dacian war (AD 86–88) as well as Trajan’s campaigns.Inhabiting an area of Europe from the Tisza River to the Black Sea, the Dacians mounted raids into Roman territory throughout the 1st century AD. In 85 Dacian forces invaded Roman territory; after defeating the invaders, the Roman Army moved into Dacia. Distracted by other crises, Domitian made peace and Dacia became a client kingdom of Rome.In AD 101, the emperor Trajan launched a pre-emptive strike on Dacia, prompting the Dacians to sue for peace in 102. In 105, Trajan’s troops commenced a new campaign; the Romans besieged the Dacian capital, Sarmizegetusa. After the Dacian king committed suicide, a new Roman province of Dacia was established.Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and mapping, this study pits the might of the Roman Army against the formidable Dacians, showing how the fighting men of both sides adapted their tactics and technologies as the fighting progressed.

This book documents the experiences of the Italian armed Fascist militia, the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), from the Italian–Ethiopian war of 1935–36, through the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II.The Blackshirt legions were raised under army control from 1928, and were employed in 1933 in Libya in counterinsurgency operations against the Senussi tribes; from 1935 in Italy's war against Ethiopia; and during the Spanish Civil War. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Blackshirts fought in North Africa, Greece, Croatia, on the Eastern Front and finally in Italy itself following the Allied invasion.It explores their origins, development, recruitment, training, conditions of service, uniforms and equipment, battle experience, political and ideological motivation.

Fully illustrated, this enthralling study explores how the Vandals in North Africa attempted to defend their kingdom against the resurgent Byzantine Empire during 533–36.In AD 533, the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I launched the first of his campaigns to reconquer the Western Roman Empire. This effort began in North Africa (modern Algeria and Tunisia), targeting the Vandal kingdom established there a century earlier, which also included Sardinia, Corsica and the Balearic Islands. Featuring full-colour artwork and mapping alongside carefully chosen archive illustrations, this book shows how the Byzantine general Belisarius established his formidable reputation in the lightning-fast campaign that ensued, exploring the origins, tactics and reputation of the two sides’ forces as they fought for control of North Africa.The landing of Belisarius’ forces took the Vandal king, Gelimer, completely by surprise; in September 533 the two sides met in battle near Carthage in an encounter known to posterity as Ad Decimum, with Gelimer ambitiously attempting to trap Belisarius’ forces as they advanced. In December, the two sides fought again in a momentous clash at Tricamarum, where the fate of Gelimer’s regime would be determined. A third battle ensued in 536, when the rebel Stotzas’ Byzantine and Vandal troops confronted Belisarius’ forces, the outcome sealing the Byzantine general’s standing as the foremost soldier of his age.Featuring specially commissioned artwork and mapping alongside archive illustrations and photographs, this vivid account compares and assesses the two sides’ fighting men as they vied for supremacy in North Africa.

A set of fast-play, mass battle wargames rules set during Japan's Sengoku period.During the mid-15th to early 17th Century, often known as the Sengoku period, Japan saw continuous warfare between the Daimyo – the great feudal lords – as they strove for power and domination.Daimyo is a mass battle wargame set during this Sengoku period. As Daimyo, players will take control of a clan, assemble an army, and crush their enemies in order to unite Japan under their banner. The core of the game is based around your army, which is made up of units and groups of units known as contingents, with unit characteristics determined by varying dice types. Players’ commanders also play a role in the battle, with a variety of abilities that can turn the tide of an encounter. Also included in this rulebook are a number of scenarios with varying themes and objectives as well as a robust, yet simple to play, map-based campaign system allowing players to decide the fate of Japan.

This title explores and illustrates the armies of France, and six countries allied against Louis XIV, in a wide-ranging Continental conflict that ushered in more than a century of European warfare.Formed in 1689, the 'Grand Alliance' or League of Augsburg was a military coalition of the Holy Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic, Britain, Spain and the Duchy of Savoy, to resist Louis XIV's rich, powerful and expansionist France.The long war on the continent was notable for the first widespread use of regimental uniforms and flintlock muskets with bayonets, plus the sophisticated use of siege warfare under the great French engineer, Vauban. The final Treaties of Ryswyck (1697) brought the war to an end and marked Louis XIV's political zenith, and also the ascendancy of both the Dutch and British as first-rate global powers. This fully illustrated title explores the armies which fought the War of the Grand Alliance, examining their strength, organization, uniforms and weapons, and explaining their campaigns and major battles.

This new study lifts the veil on the high-profile but often misunderstood gladiators of ancient Rome, from their origins to the dawn of the Principate.Originating in funeral rites during the Punic Wars of the 3rd century BC, the Roman gladiator games have come to symbolize the spectacle and savagery of Republican and Imperial Rome. Increasingly elaborate rules and rituals governed the conduct of gladiator combat, with an array of specially armed and armoured gladiator types pitted against one another, either singly or in groups. While many gladiators met a grisly end, some survived to achieve celebrity and make huge fortunes.Despite the wealth of literary and archaeological evidence, many misconceptions about the gladiators and their violent world remain. Featuring eight plates of stunning specially commissioned artwork alongside photographs and drawings of key items of visual evidence, this fully illustrated account recreates the little-known and under-represented gladiators of the centuries leading up to the dawn of the Principate, correcting myths and casting new light on the roles, lives and legacy of these legendary arena fighters.

This title features up-to-date historical and archaeological research into the mysterious and powerful confederations of raiders who troubled the Eastern Mediterranean in the last half of the Bronze Age.Research into the origins of the so-called Shardana, Shekelesh, Danuna, Lukka, Peleset and other peoples is a detective 'work in progress'. However, it is known that they both provided the Egyptian pharaohs with mercenaries, and were listed among Egypt's enemies and invaders. They contributed to the collapse of several civilizations through their dreaded piracy and raids, and their waves of attacks were followed by major migrations that changed the face of this region, from modern Libya and Cyprus to the Aegean, mainland Greece, Lebanon and Anatolian Turkey.Drawing on carved inscriptions and papyrus documents – mainly from Egypt – dating from the 15th–11th centuries BC, as well as carved reliefs of the Medinet Habu, this title reconstructs the formidable appearance and even the tactics of the famous 'Sea Peoples'.

A superbly illustrated study of the Native Americans’ last major effort to drive the English colonists out of New England.King Philip's War was the result of over 50 years' tension between the native inhabitants of New England and its colonial settlers as the two parties competed for land and resources. A coalition of Native American tribes fought against a force of over 1,000 men raised by the New England Confederation of Plymouth, Connecticut, New Haven and Massachusetts Bay, alongside their Native allies the Mohegans and Mohawks. The resultant fighting in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and later Maine and New Hampshire, resulted in the destruction of 12 towns, the death of between 600–800 colonists and 3,000 Natives, making it the deadliest war in the history of American colonization.Although war resulted in victory for the colonists, the scale of death and destruction led to significant economic hardship. This study reveals the full story of this influential conflict as it raged across New England. Packed with maps, battle scenes, and bird’s-eye-views, this is a comprehensive guide to the war which determined the future of colonial America.

The hundred-year period ending in 1025, from the reign of the Emperor Constantine VII to that of Basil II 'the Bulgar-Slayer', encompassed the last great era of Byzantine aggression and dominance in the Near East and Balkans.During that time, a succession of soldier-emperors challenged and defeated an array of opponents on land and at sea and reconquered vast swathes of territory. At the heart of the Emperors' forces were the professional, highly mobile Tághmata or Imperial Guard regiments, originally formed to guard the Emperor¹s person in the capital but invariably deployed as elite combat troops. Joining these heavy cavalry units, were a variety of exotic mercenary units recruited from foreigners, notably the legendary Varangians.Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this lively study sheds light on the colourful regiments of the Byzantine Imperial Guard, the formidable warriors who provided the Byzantine emperors with an insurance policy in the capital, and the elite of their field armies when on campaign.

This illustrated study lifts the veil on the gladiators of ancient Rome, who provided a bloody spectacle for the people of the Eternal City and its vast empire.By the start of the Principate in 27 BC, the gladiator games were a long-standing part of the social and political life of Rome and its sprawling empire. In the wake of reforms enacted by Augustus, the games continued to be at the heart of Roman culture and politics during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD.While prominent citizens harnessed the opportunities offered by the gladiator games to enhance their own reputations and reward their clients, the emperors soon assumed a near-monopoly on the provision of games; several even entered the arena themselves, most notoriously Commodus. In the quest for novelty, prisoners, criminals and women came to participate in this grisly ‘sport’. Only after the adoption of Christianity as the state religion in AD 380 did armed combat between gladiators enter a decline, and even then beast hunts persisted into the 6th century.Although much evidence remains, both literary and archaeological, the gladiators and their world continue to be misunderstood. Featuring full-colour reconstructions of these legendary arena fighters, this book draws upon the latest research and the author’s own findings to cast new light on these formidable arena fighters and their legacy.

The world's first war machines were ships built two millennia before the dawn of the Classical world. Their influence on the course of history cannot be overstated.A wide variety of galleys and other types of warships were built by successive civilisations, each with their own distinctive appearance, capability and utility. The earliest of these were the Punt ships and the war galleys of Egypt which defeated the Sea People in the first known naval battle. Following the fall of these civilisations, the Phoenicians built biremes and other vessels, while in Greece the ships described in detail in the 'Trojan' epics established a tradition of warship building culminating in the pentekonters and triaconters.In the first accessible introduction to this subject, Adrian K. Wood examines the warships of the period, alongside illustrations from pottery and carved seals, and depicted in inscriptions and on bas-reliefs.

This book documents the experiences of the Italian armed Fascist militia, the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), from the Italian–Ethiopian war of 1935–36, through the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II. It explores their origins, development, recruitment, training, conditions of service, uniforms and equipment, battle experience, political and ideological motivation. The Blackshirt legions were raised under army control from 1928, and were employed in 1933 in Libya in counterinsurgency operations against the Senussi tribes; from 1935 in Italy''s war against Ethiopia; and during the Spanish Civil War. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Blackshirts fought in North Africa, Greece, Croatia, on the Eastern Front and finally in Italy itself following the Allied invasion.

This book reveals the fascinating story of the cat and mouse duel between the airship and another pioneering form of technology – the submarine - during World War 1.Detailed cut-away drawings reveal the design and development of the airship, during and after the war, whilst full-colour illustrations depict the airship in dramatic action shots. A tragic accident in 1930 brought the airship''s military service to an end, resulting in a tiny window in which they were used and little acknowledgement over the years.In this concise guide, Ian Castle gives deserved attention to an aeronautical wonder that for a short amount of time played a crucial service to the defence of Britain.

A detailed, compact account of the first tank duels between American and German soldiers in the heat and dust of the North African desert.This was a duel between the stalwart of the Wehrmacht armored divisions - the Panzerkampfwagen III - and the Americans'' as yet untested M3 Grant. In reality both would prove unequal to the task as they floundered amidst the rugged hills and ravines of the Tunisian landscape. This book charts the design and development of these two disparate rivals - their vastly different armament and armor as well as their tactical concepts.Analysing the strengths and weaknesses of these two opponents, Gordon L Rottman explores the successes and failures of the Grant and Panzer III as they clashed at the critical battles of North Africa. Moreover, this volume is an insight into the lives of the tank crews themselves as they struggled with the twin horrors of tank warfare and the fight for survival amidst some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth.

A detailed, compact account of the first tank duels between American and German soldiers in the heat and dust of the North African desert.This was a duel between the stalwart of the Wehrmacht armored divisions - the Panzerkampfwagen III - and the Americans'' as yet untested M3 Grant. In reality both would prove unequal to the task as they floundered amidst the rugged hills and ravines of the Tunisian landscape. This book charts the design and development of these two disparate rivals - their vastly different armament and armor as well as their tactical concepts.Analysing the strengths and weaknesses of these two opponents, Gordon L Rottman explores the successes and failures of the Grant and Panzer III as they clashed at the critical battles of North Africa. Moreover, this volume is an insight into the lives of the tank crews themselves as they struggled with the twin horrors of tank warfare and the fight for survival amidst some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth.

This book documents the experiences of the Italian armed Fascist militia, the Camicie Nere (Blackshirts), from the Italian–Ethiopian war of 1935–36, through the Spanish Civil War to the end of World War II. It explores their origins, development, recruitment, training, conditions of service, uniforms and equipment, battle experience, political and ideological motivation. The Blackshirt legions were raised under army control from 1928, and were employed in 1933 in Libya in counterinsurgency operations against the Senussi tribes; from 1935 in Italy''s war against Ethiopia; and during the Spanish Civil War. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Blackshirts fought in North Africa, Greece, Croatia, on the Eastern Front and finally in Italy itself following the Allied invasion.

This title features up-to-date historical and archaeological research into the mysterious and powerful confederations of raiders who troubled the Eastern Mediterranean in the last half of the Bronze Age.Research into the origins of the so-called Shardana, Shekelesh, Danuna, Lukka, Peleset and other peoples is a detective ''work in progress''. However, it is known that they both provided the Egyptian pharaohs with mercenaries, and were listed among Egypt''s enemies and invaders. They contributed to the collapse of several civilizations through their dreaded piracy and raids, and their waves of attacks were followed by major migrations that changed the face of this region, from modern Libya and Cyprus to the Aegean, mainland Greece, Lebanon and Anatolian Turkey.Drawing on carved inscriptions and papyrus documents – mainly from Egypt – dating from the 15th–11th centuries BC, as well as carved reliefs of the Medinet Habu, this title reconstructs the formidable appearance and even the tactics of the famous ''Sea Peoples''.

This title features up-to-date historical and archaeological research into the mysterious and powerful confederations of raiders who troubled the Eastern Mediterranean in the last half of the Bronze Age.Research into the origins of the so-called Shardana, Shekelesh, Danuna, Lukka, Peleset and other peoples is a detective ''work in progress''. However, it is known that they both provided the Egyptian pharaohs with mercenaries, and were listed among Egypt''s enemies and invaders. They contributed to the collapse of several civilizations through their dreaded piracy and raids, and their waves of attacks were followed by major migrations that changed the face of this region, from modern Libya and Cyprus to the Aegean, mainland Greece, Lebanon and Anatolian Turkey.Drawing on carved inscriptions and papyrus documents – mainly from Egypt – dating from the 15th–11th centuries BC, as well as carved reliefs of the Medinet Habu, this title reconstructs the formidable appearance and even the tactics of the famous ''Sea Peoples''.

A detailed account of the first step in General MacArthur's 1944-45 campaign to retake the Philippines.The loss of the Philippines in 1942 was the worst defeat in American military history. General Douglas MacArthur, the 'Lion of Luzon', was evacuated by order of the President just before the fall, but he vowed to return, and in August 1944 he kept his word when he led what, at the time, was the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the island of Leyte. This is the full story of that fateful battle, one of the most ferocious campaigns of World War II and one of huge strategic and symbolic significance. In the face of stubborn Japanese resistance, including the first systematic use of Kamikaze attacks, the US forces ground slowly forwards before another amphibious assault took the vital position of Ormoc in the last decisive battle of the campaign.Based on extensive research in the US Army's Military History Institute, along with other archival and veteran sources, this important study sheds new light on the operation that saw the US finally return to the Philippines and in doing so placed another nail firmly in the coffin of the Japanese Empire.

A detailed account of the first step in General MacArthur''s 1944-45 campaign to retake the Philippines.The loss of the Philippines in 1942 was the worst defeat in American military history. General Douglas MacArthur, the ''Lion of Luzon'', was evacuated by order of the President just before the fall, but he vowed to return, and in August 1944 he kept his word when he led what, at the time, was the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the island of Leyte. This is the full story of that fateful battle, one of the most ferocious campaigns of World War II and one of huge strategic and symbolic significance. In the face of stubborn Japanese resistance, including the first systematic use of Kamikaze attacks, the US forces ground slowly forwards before another amphibious assault took the vital position of Ormoc in the last decisive battle of the campaign.Based on extensive research in the US Army''s Military History Institute, along with other archival and veteran sources, this important study sheds new light on the operation that saw the US finally return to the Philippines and in doing so placed another nail firmly in the coffin of the Japanese Empire.

A detailed account of the first step in General MacArthur''s 1944-45 campaign to retake the Philippines.The loss of the Philippines in 1942 was the worst defeat in American military history. General Douglas MacArthur, the ''Lion of Luzon'', was evacuated by order of the President just before the fall, but he vowed to return, and in August 1944 he kept his word when he led what, at the time, was the largest amphibious assault of the Pacific War on the island of Leyte. This is the full story of that fateful battle, one of the most ferocious campaigns of World War II and one of huge strategic and symbolic significance. In the face of stubborn Japanese resistance, including the first systematic use of Kamikaze attacks, the US forces ground slowly forwards before another amphibious assault took the vital position of Ormoc in the last decisive battle of the campaign.Based on extensive research in the US Army''s Military History Institute, along with other archival and veteran sources, this important study sheds new light on the operation that saw the US finally return to the Philippines and in doing so placed another nail firmly in the coffin of the Japanese Empire.

The War of the Triple Alliance is the largest single conflict in the history of South America.Drawing Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay into conflict the war was characterized by extraordinarily high casualty rates, and was to shape the future of an entire continent – depopulating Paraguay and establishing Brazil as the predominant military power.Despite the importance of the war, little information is available in English about the armies that fought it. This book analyzes the combatants of the four nations caught up in the war, telling the story of the men who fought on each side, illustrated with contemporary paintings, prints, and early photographs.

The War of the Triple Alliance is the largest single conflict in the history of South America.Drawing Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay into conflict the war was characterized by extraordinarily high casualty rates, and was to shape the future of an entire continent – depopulating Paraguay and establishing Brazil as the predominant military power.Despite the importance of the war, little information is available in English about the armies that fought it. This book analyzes the combatants of the four nations caught up in the war, telling the story of the men who fought on each side, illustrated with contemporary paintings, prints, and early photographs.

The War of the Triple Alliance is the largest single conflict in the history of South America.Drawing Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay into conflict the war was characterized by extraordinarily high casualty rates, and was to shape the future of an entire continent – depopulating Paraguay and establishing Brazil as the predominant military power.Despite the importance of the war, little information is available in English about the armies that fought it. This book analyzes the combatants of the four nations caught up in the war, telling the story of the men who fought on each side, illustrated with contemporary paintings, prints, and early photographs.