Encyclopedia of Invasions and Conquests: From Ancient Times to the Present - Softcover

Davis, Paul K.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1851093257 ISBN 13: 9781851093250

Publisher: ABC CLIO Europe (ABC-CLIO), 1998

Synopsis

An authoritative and thoroughly readable volume that will prove invaluable for everyone from military historians to history buffs to those wanting to know the impact of war on the borders and cultures of countries around the world. The Encyclopedia of Invasions and Conquests, a comprehensive guide to 192 invasions, conquests, battles, occupations, and military leaders from ancient times to the present, takes readers on a journey that includes the Roman conquest of Britain, the Portuguese colonization of Brazil, and the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. This engaging, lucid, carefully researched volume provides a thorough review of each battle while examining the repercussions on infrastructure, tradition, language, and more. Some entries cover civilizations and cultures (Han Dynasty, the Huns, the Uzbeks), while others are devoted to selected historical figures (Julius Caesar, Napoleon Buonaparte, Douglas MacArthur). Each chapter provides a map to help readers locate key areas and geographical features. Other features include cross-references, a cumulative bibliography, and a comprehensive subject index.

About this title

About the Author

Paul K. Davis received a Ph.D. in war studies from King's College, University of London. He currently teaches history at the University of Texas at San Antonio and St. Mary's University.

From Booklist

A twist on the standard encyclopedia of military history, the Encyclopedia of Invasions and Conquests succeeds in its attempt "to cover as much history of the world's invasions as possible" yet falls short as a reference work. Davis (University of Texas) admits "that the greatest difficulty" in the undertaking was "defining the terms invasion and conquest." The terms are defined as the occupation, long-term domination, or invasion of one state by another. Civil wars and revolutions are not included, and one feels, as Davis himself states, that "inclusion ultimately came down to an editorial judgment call."

The encyclopedia's 204 unsigned entries are arranged chronologically into seven broad time periods: "The Ancient World," "The Classical World," "The Dark and Middle Ages," "The Renaissance and the Age of Exploration," "The Age of Revolutions and Napoleon," "The Age of Empires," and "The Twentieth Century." Each section begins with an outline map showing the geographical location of each entry. Entries include invasions, occupations, civilizations, personalities, and cultures. There are surprising omissions. The encyclopedia includes an entry for Cyrus the Great but none for the Persian Empire and an entry for Hernan Cortes but none for Francisco Pizarro.

Although cross-references help, the encyclopedia's effectiveness is hindered by the alphabetical arrangement of entries within each section, which obstructs placing events in historical context. Related topics, such as Hannibal and the Second Punic War, are separated by unrelated entries, a problem occurring throughout the work. The index is also problematic. A good, detailed index could have helped with navigation, but instead, what the user will find in the index under Cortes, Hernan, for example, are seven page references, with no indication of which is the main entry. Matters are not helped by the fact that the index cites every mention of a name or term, even within cross-references.

The work includes a bibliography and a time line of entries. Eighty pages provide documents concerning views and laws of war and war powers. Libraries with a military dictionary and historical encyclopedias do not need this work; optional purchase. Charles Becker
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: ABC CLIO Europe (ABC-CLIO)
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1851093257
• ISBN 13: 9781851093250
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352