Wars, weapons and military history have never lost their fascination - not merely the drama and action of the events, but also the technology and hardware. Through human history, conflicts between kings and nations have been decided by violence and bloodshed. And as the world's population has soared, so too has the scale of these wars, culminating in the 20th century with two world wars that between them killed more than 100 million people. This book chronicles the thousands of battles, campaigns and wars of recorded history, from the clashes of the first empires of ancient Mesopotamia to today's armed conflicts being fought - ironically - in largely the same areas of the Middle East.

Throughout The History of Warfare runs a continuous timeline, century by century identifying the wars fought by succeeding generations of powers and empires. This is illustrated by more than 300 photographs, drawings and maps, with data tables, biographies of the kings and generals who led armies to war, and background data on the evolution of weapons and their use. In addition, an A-Z reference lists more than 2,000 of history's significant battles, their dates, winners and losers.

The History of Warfare gives the reader a uniquely clear and accessible global panorama of wars and warriors. Fully illustrated throughout, it makes a quick and easy reference for experts and enthusiasts alike, and a handy history for the general reader.