Christopher Matthew Bücher

The backbone of classical Greek armies was the phalanx of heavily armoured spearmen, or hoplites, who played a crucial role in battles against Persia at Marathon, Thermopylae, and Plataea, as well as in conflicts among Greek city-states. For about two centuries, these soldiers dominated the Classical world and were highly sought after as mercenaries throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Despite extensive accounts by historians like Herodotus and Thucydides, and abundant evidence from Greek art and archaeology, many aspects of hoplite warfare remain poorly understood or hotly debated. Christopher Matthew's groundbreaking reassessment merges rigorous analysis of literary and archaeological evidence with reconstructive archaeology, re-enactment, and ballistic science. He meticulously examines the equipment, tactics, and capabilities of individual hoplites, challenging long-held assumptions. Notably, he derives fresh insights from Greek vase paintings, revealing new perspectives on how hoplites wielded their spears. These insights are bolstered by practical testing with replica hoplite gear and the experiences of dedicated re-enactors. Matthew also addresses the protective qualities of hoplite shields and armour, as well as the contentious nature of the 'othismos,' the climax of phalanx clashes. This innovative reassessment significantly enhances our understanding of these vital troops in ancient warfare.

Reexamines the literary, pictorial and archaeological evidence for hoplite warfare minutely, and combines this with the insights of experimental archaeology using replica weapons and equipment.

Sheds new light and detail upon the weapon system that dominated the ancient battlefield for 200 years.

For those turning sixty, this new edition of Christopher Matthew's tribute to A. A. Milne's classic poems contains fresh material as well as the old favourites.'A wonderful present to sixty-year-olds' Auberon Waugh, Daily Telegraph When Christopher was six, the poems of Milne were always on hand to reassure him that other children were just as puzzled and naughty and silly as he was, and that grown-ups could be even sillier. When he turned sixty, he decided it was high time there was an equally reassuring volume for those of his generation who were not only more confused than ever, but were losing their teeth, their hair and, all too often, their car keys. What he did twenty years ago was to take some of Milne's best-loved poems from Now We Are Six for an older audience, with results that are often hilarious, sometimes rueful and always thought-provoking. Some verses are about realising one is not as young as one once thought, and not feeling quite as chipper as one once did; while others address some of the more disconcerting problems of modern life such as mobile telephones on trains, unsocial behaviour, traffic jams and the internet.