The Assyrians: Masters of War By the eighth century BC, the Assyrians had created the largest empire to date -stretching from the Persian Mediterranean and encompassing the whole of the Middle East. Celts The Celts were one of the most important civilisations of Europe. At the height of their power, the Celts had conquered Central Europe, France, Spain and the British Isles. The source of their military success lay in their use of finely made iron weaponry. Normans Descendants of the Vikings, the Normans were one of the most successful warrior groups of the Middle Ages, conquering the French coast and England. Legions of Rome Originally just one Italian city-state among many, the story of Rome's rise to a world empire is one of the most fascinating in history. Macedonians Philip of Macedonia transformed a largely peasant society into one of the most effective and successful armies of antiquity. Soldiers of the Pharaoh The fabulous monumental remains of Egyptian civilisation are known throughout the world. Many of these celebrate the military exploits of the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom, and most impressive are those of Ramses II. Spartans The Spartans were the most effective warriors of the Greek civilisations. In an attempt to permanently suppress their much larger class of slaves, the Spartans devoted themselves exclusively to military training.