This course requires good base knowledge of European history and may help you in preparations for the comprehensive exam in European history you have to pass during your pre-gradual studies here at this faculty.

* Lectures and topics

1 - Introduction to main theoretical concepts. Warfare in European area during pre-classic period.

Source texts:

a) Drews - The End of the Bronze Age - complete Part III - A military explanation of the catastrophe (for those of you, interested primarily in matters of military mechanics and dynamics)

b) Drews - Early Riders - the whole book, excluding Chapter 6. You should pay special attention to Chapter 7.

2 - Polis and phalanx I. Classic Greek warfare, Persian wars, Greek colonization.

Source texts:

a) The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare - Volume I. - Chapters 6, 7A, 8 and 9.

b) Victor Davis Hanson: Carnage and Culture - introductory study "Why the West Has Won" + complete Part I. (Freedom, Decisive Battle, Citizen Soldiers). - for those of you, interested in more theoretical aspects of history.

3 - Polis and phalanx II. Peloponnesian war and Macedonian military culture under Philip II.

Source texts:

a) Ian Worthington, By the Spear - Introduction and Chapters 1-6 (1-103).

b) George Cawkwell, The Greek Wars - Introduction and Chapters 1-5 (1-125)

4 - Polis and phalanx III. Alexander of Macedon and Asiatic campaign

Source texts:

a) Green: Alexander of Macedon, chapters 5, 6 a 7. (This text represents the genre of historical biography. Your main task is to analytically discover main symbolic means used to construct the central "cult of personality" of Alexander of Macedon)

b) Lewis, Boardman, Hornblower: The Cambridge Ancient History VI. - 16 a 17 - Alexander the Great Part. I a II.

5 - Polis and phalanx IV. Hellenist warfare and civilizational cultural transfers

Source texts:

a) Bar Kochva: The Seleucid Army, kapitoly 1-6. (for those of you, more interested in military mechanics and dynamics)

b) The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare, Díl I, Část II, 11A - Military forces - Land forces, 13A - Battle - Land battles, 14 - Warfare and the state, 15 - War and society

c) Collection of studies regarding the problem of war elephants in hellenist and Roman warfare
Your chief task is to provide answer for the question: War elephants - effective combat animals or just symbolic enhancement of royal authority?

- Casson: Ptolemy II and the Hunting of African Elephants
- Glover: The Tactical Handling of the Elephant
- Gowers: The African Elephant in Warfare
- Shelton: Elephants as Enemies in Ancient Rome
- Charles and Rhodan: Magister Elephantorum
(feel free to consult also useful work by Dr. Nossov: War Elephants)

6 - Legions and empire I. Struggle for the hegemony in the Mediterranean during Roman republic. Roman military system.

Source texts:

a) Daly: Cannae – The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War – chapters 1, 2, 3, 6. (cultural historical study a la John Keegan concerning the experience of battle)

b) MacDonald: Hannibal – A Hellenistic Life – chapters 1, 2, 3 a 7. (for those of you, who are interested in the genre of historical biography)

7 - Legions and empire II. Imperial Rome.

Source texts:

a) Isaac: The Limites of Empire – chapters 1, 2 a 3.

b) Phang: Roman military service – chapters 1, 2 a 3.

8 - Dissolution of the empire, nomadic traditions, problem of heavy cavalry, ascent of feudal warfare

Source texts:

a) MAENCHEN_HELFEN__The_World_of_the_Huns, chapters III, IV and V.

b) Collection of studies regarding the problem of heavy cavalry in late antiquity

- BIVAR__Cavalry_equipment_and_tactics
- EADIE__Development_of_Roman_mailed_cavalry
- ALCHIN__Piece_of_scale_armour
- BOSWORTH__Arrian_and_the_Alani
- WADGE_King_Arthur_British_or_Sarmatian_tradition

9 - Age of tradition I. "The Siege of Europe 850-1050", first phase of feudal socio-military system

Source texts:

a) Baker and Brooks: Beyond_the_Burghal_Hidage_Anglo_Saxon_civil_defence_in_the_Viking_Age - chapters 1 a 2. Feel free to skip purely archaeologic parts of the text.

b) Blöndal and Benedikz: The_Varangians_of_Byzantium - chapters 1, 4, 5 a 6.

10 - Cross and crescent I. Early Byzantine socio-military system

Source texts:

a) Haldon: Warfare_State_And_Society_In_The_Byzantine_world_565-1204 - kapitoly 1, 2, 3 a 4.

b) Haldon: Warfare_State_And_Society_In_The_Byzantine_world_565-1204 - kapitoly 5, 6 a 7.