Sitting on the edge of empires, the Biblical lands were fought over by rival peoples - Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and Romans - for more than two thousand years before the birth of Christ. Forming a land bridge between Eurasia and Africa and controlling access to the eastern Mediterranean, the territory that today makes up much of the modern state of Israel has proved a tempting prize for a wide array of would-be conquerors. Battles of the Bible introduces 20 key battles from the Biblical era. Beginning with the Israelites' campaign against Ai (1400 bc), where the prophet Joshua's tactical skill defeated a larger Canaanite force, and finishing with the siege of Masada (73 ad), where the Romans effectively ended Jewish resistance to the Roman occupation, examples from every major campaign are featured. The book includes all the major Hebrew war leaders, such as Saul, who defeated the Philistines at Michmash (1040 bc), the campaigns of David, who captured Jerusalem from the Jubusites and established a unified Hebrew kingdom, and Judah Maccabee's successful campaigns against the Seleucids at Emmaus (165 bc) and Beth-Zur (164 bc). Invasions by the Assyrians in 701 bc, culminating in the capture of Lachish, the defeat and enslavement of the Israelites by the Babylonians (586 bc), and the successful occupation of the region by the Romans make this a rounded account of 1500 years of conflict. Each battle includes a contextual introduction, a concise description of the action and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially-commissioned, colour map illustrating the dispositions and movement of forces brings the subject to life and helps the reader to grasp- at a glance - the development of each battle.

Author Biography

Martin J. Dougherty is a freelance writer specialising in military and defence topics. His published work deals with subjects ranging from naval weapons to personal security and self-defence. He is author of Small Arms: From the Civil War to the Present Day, Warriors of the World: The Ancient Warrior, and Weapons and Fighting Techniques of the Medieval Warrior. Dougherty has also written books on personal self defence, including Unarmed Combat (2010) and Extreme Unarmed Combat (2012). Michael E. Haskew has been writing and researching military history topics for more than 25 years. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Elite Forces In World War II, Order of Battle: Western Allied Tanks, 1939-45, The Essential Vehicle Identification Guide: Postwar Armoured Fighting Vehicles, 1945-Present and The Essential Weapons Identification Guide: Postwar Artillery, 1945-Present. Mr. Haskew also served as editor of The World War II Desk Reference with The Eisenhower Center For American Studies. He lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Phyllis G. Jestice is an associate professor of medieval history and chair of the History Department at the University of Southern Mississippi. A specialist in German history during the central Middle Ages, her teaching of the history of premodern warfare has led her deeper into the study of medieval war and society. She has contributed to several works on the history of warfare, including Battles of the Ancient World, Battles of the Bible, Fighting Techniques of the Medieval World and Timelines of Medieval Warfare.