Fernando Quesada Sanz\'s "Armas de Grecia y Roma"

[Gorgon]

There was a book, published last year by a RAT member, Dr Quesada Sanz, on the arms and armor of Greece and Rome. The book is in spanish, and it's a kind of "update" on books like "Greece and Rome at War" by Peter Conolly and "Warfare in the Classical World" by John Warry. Dr Sanz, and some of you would know, is a top-nothc expert on Ancient Warfare and has published tons of excelent articles on the subject, unfortunately for the most part in Spanish.

This new book weights at about 400 pages and is supposedly jam-packed with high quality color illustrations by Carlos Fernández, supposedly a personal friend of Dr Sanz. According to an interview in spanish last year, the illustrations where done with close colaboration between Sanz and Fernández and are totally reliable and subject to Sanz opinions on the matter and the latest archaeological data.

I'm thinking about getting this book and I would like to get some opinion imput from fellow RAT members.

Alo, in that same interview, Sanz sais that this is goint to be a trilogy (it was originaly planed as a 1000 pages mamoth full-color book!) and that the next book will be focused on Iberian Arms and Armor, that is, Pre-Roman Lusitanian, Celt-Iberian, Iberian/Tartessian, etc arms and armor. This is too good to pass, since the market is completly oblivious to this aspect of military history and there's very little on the subject except for the poor quality Osprey title "Rome's Enemies: The Spanish Armies" and Sanz's own previous books on the subject that are more directed at the academia. If anyone, including Dr Sanz, could give me some info on that upcoming title I would be grateful.

Sugestions on the cheapest and easiest way to order "Armas de Grecia y Roma" would also be very welcome!

[D B Campbell]

Let's hope Fernando is reading this, Pedro.

[Flaminio]

I'm spanish, I've got the book and I confirm is a fantastic work in every aspects. Fernando Quesada is nowadays the best ancient warfare expert in Spain and I highly recomend this work as alll the others. As far as I know, as I read in a spanish forum, the second book concerning iberian warfare will be published in february, 2010.

[Gorgon]

Thanks for the imput, Flaminio. That is great news, a new book on Iberian Warfare, fully illustrated and acessible, by such an authority as Dr Quesada is sorely needed. Too bad it's only in spanish, wich is a constant problem that doesn't help the spread of information in such an anglo-saxon dominated research environment. February 2010 it is then.

Other spanish speaking RATers with adicional information on these books are welcome to continue posting, please. And if Dr Quesada wants to leave a few words of wisdom here he's more than welcome too.

[Thersites]

Hi guys,
Thank you for your kind words. The book was not designed as a 'new' Connolly or Warry, as it does not try to narrate a History of Classical Warfare while discussing weapons. On the other hand, although ot ontains no footnotes, it gives all the relevant cites to Classical sources and provides a full bibliography by chapter, also graded by utility in the final part. This was-I believe- sorely missed by many knowledgeable laymen that often get frusdrated when some interesting or odd details are not referenced.
And yes, it is true, contract has been signed so next year the Iberian weapons &warriors will be -hopefully-published.

And as for the cheapest way to obtain the book... probably via El Corte Ingles in Portugal -provided yoy live in Lisbon; or directly via the net at El Corte Inglés o Casa del libro.

See http://www.esferalibros.com/libros/libr ... 8497347006

i am now engaged in fieldwork, so able to get online only occasionally. By the way, we do have some interesting -very violent- new data c. 150-120 BC

Best Regards

[Gorgon]

Thank you for your reply! I'll be eargely awaiting the second volume too.

[Eleatic Guest]

Muchas gracias. I am always delighted to read on interesting topics in Spanish.

[Gorgon]

I just wanted to say that I finally managed to get hold of a copy. Tomorrow it will be in my hands

A question to professor Quesada: will the second book on Iberian weapons & armor cover all Iberia or will it focus more on the so called "Iberians" of south/south-estern Spain? I'm quite interested in knowing more about other areas of Iberia like western and north Iberia (lusitanians, etc).

Thank you.

[Thersites]

It will focus mainly on the Iberians proper, also the Celtiberians. Northern anbd western peoples receive less attention, I'm afraid. That's another research...

[Gorgon]

Thank you for your reply! I'll be eargerly awaiting for the second volume.

[Gorgon]

Hello all,

I'm eagerly awaiting the publication of the next book "Iberian weapons &warriors ". Are there any news regarding when will the book be published?

Pedro

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Hello,

It's published yet...

http://libros.fnac.es/a369631/Fernando- ... ia?PID=341

Regards.

[Sandoval]

Salvete

There are also many good articles from "Gladius", a very interesting project. Some of them in english:

http://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius

I strongly recommend it.

vale,

[Thersites]

Yes, my Weapons of Ancient Iberia, from Tartessos to Numantia is finally out.

It is a 312 pages, A4-sized hardback, text unfortunately in -reasonably clear- Spanish, but fully illustrated with literally hundreds of photos, line drawings, reconstructions, reenactors, all in full colour (not a single B/W !). Also full 20+pages reference list and all cited clasical sources fully referenced. See front cover here:



Full cover can be found
here

If you need more details in pdf format, they can be found in this leaflet

I provide a rough translation of the summary for the benefit of non-Spanish readinf friends

First Part: Time and space.
1. Weapons and warrior values in Ancient Iberia: the warrior spirit.
2. On origins, history and modern myths about Iberian warfare and weapons.
3. The weapons of the Tartessians and the First Iron Age (7th to 5th c BC).
4. Iberian and Celtiberian Weapons: a general overview.

Second Part: Offensive and Defensive weapons.
5. The Iberian falcata.
6. 'Fronton type' swords and daggers.
7. 'Antennae type' swords and daggers..
8. The Montebernorio: a too-complex weapon.
9. The weapons thar Rome copied from Iberia.
10. Spears and javelins: the most important weapon.
11. Soliferreum: the all-iron pilum.
12. Balearic slingers: true specialists.
13. Iron and Steel: the metallurgy of Iberian weapons.
14. Caetra: the Iberian round shield.
15. Scutum in Iberia: a peculiar late type.
16. Taller, stronger: helmet and warrior.
17. Protectión and conspicuous display: Armour, disc-plates and greaves.

Third parte: Warriors, battles and societies
18. Under foreign standards: Iberian mercenaries in the Mediterranean.
19. Indibil and Mandonius and Iberian pitched battle tactics.
20. Celtiberian armies in battle.
21. Numantia against Rome: impossible odds.
22. Galician warrior and Octavius
23. Weapons and their context: settlements, burials and sanctuaries.
24. Conception of warfare and waging war among the Iberians and Celtiberians.

You can also check here, in English, probably the easiest way to obtain a copy

[Gorgon]

THANK YOU ALL!

Damn, I didn't know it was out already!!! Going to order this baby right this minute!

THANK YOU!