I have to thank Osprey for providing such interesting books. I'd never have thought to read on some of the subjects that they cover in their various series and this one on Macedonian infantrymen was just as interesting as some of the other early history books that they publish. Just think about it. These men covered tens of thousands of miles following Alexander the Great throughout the known world from Greece to India and then to Egypt and back. All on foot.

Not only that, but these men were barefoot. Most of us won't cross the yard or the street without shoes, yet these men not only crossed nations, but did so carrying weapons and provisions. Truly remarkable.

The book covers the training, tactics and weaponry of these men. I was particularly fascinated by the phalanx and how it was formed and used in battle. I had no idea that the spears used were so long that they had to be broken down into two sections to be able to be carried. Training was something that Alexander and his father Phillip II instilled in their men; something that had not been previously done in armies of the time.

There are descriptions of all the battles in which Alexander participated on his way to conquering the known world, including the one that finally killed him. Not only that, but the motivations for his men and their beliefs are discussed so that we have a better understanding of why these soldiers followed Alexander.

Superbly written and equally well illustrated, you are able to understand the people of this periods in a way few other books have been able to. It is one that I believe you will find as interesting and enjoyable as did I. 

June 2006

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