THE FIRST ARMIES

Published by Cassell & Co., 2001, hardcover, illustrated, index, 224 pages, condition: as new.

When did mankind invent war, and has violence always decided human arguments? When did ritualized tribal conflict become organized and hunting expeditions turn into armies? And, are we genetically programmed for combat? From Stone Age warriors to the savage cruelty of the Assyrian Empire, embark on an investigation of the origins of human aggression, including the first weapons purpose--built to kill other people. It becomes clear even the earliest civilizations developed military institutions, devoting themselves to war-making technologies that ranged from chariots to siege engines. The story concludes with the Assyrians, a society completely dedicated to military conquest.and one which pioneered the use of terror and mass executions as an instrument of state policy.

The author, Doyne Dawson teaches at Chosun University, Korea.