Gall, by this evening I should have a write up about the Byzantine Warrior Monk, and some related matters, ready to go. Over time it might get kinda involved. I didn't know if you wanted me to post it here or on my blog. I mean it's your thread and I don't wanna drive anything off-subject or put up a bunch of material you don't want cluttering up your thread.
So, just let me know how you wanna play it.
Jack.
I
f I was going to recommend one book to you to give you a very good, quick but accurate overview of warfare in the Classical world it would be this one, which I personally found immensely helpful:
Amazon.com: Warfare in the Classical World: An...
That was a good book Gall suggested.
When it comes to weapons and related matters EG, just remember, that generally speaking, it's nothing like fantasy gaming or films. When it comes to weapons, armor, equipment, shields, etc. remember that most soldiers had to hump that stuff around everywhere they went. Most combatants didn't ride horses which meant all of their equipment had to marched around, carried on their own bodies, many times including their own food and water (the biscuits carried around their necks by Roman soldiers for instance). Every ounce becomes real labor over time, if you need to be ready to form up and fight whenever necessary, when you're hard marching twenty miles a day or more every day in the field (sometimes regardless of weather), and you may be expected to build fortifications or lay defense lines, or put up tents and make a secure camp after that. (Plus you have to scout the terrain, reconnoiter, set watches, establish perimeters, locate water, maybe forage, gather and set supplies, place skirmishing lines, etc.)
Men can't afford to carry these ridiculous fantasy type weapons, you have to be practical in your methods and equipment. Weapons have to be fast and effective and actually lethal according to the style of warfare common at the time, not pretty and fancy and ridiculous in design and hard to use. (That's why the Spanish Gladius was such a truly effective weapon for so long, it was just such an effective and efficient killing device. Far more effective than far larger and heavier weapons.)
In my opinion if your novel intends to be realistic (and that may or may not be your intent) then just remember this simple rule, make things efficient, make them effective, and make them practical. Remember people have to march in whatever they use as defense and armoring, they have to march mostly by foot at least some of the time, everything carried is real weight hauled by someone or some beast for potentially long periods of time, weapons have to be efficient killing tools, equipment has to serve truly useful purposes, food and water is no easy commodity to obtain, store, and transport, and logistical problems kill many armies and empires over time.
May I also suggest books like this:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Medieval-Siege-Weapons-Illustrated/dp/1592287107/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-12]Amazon.com: Ancient and Medieval Siege Weapons: A Fully Illustrated Guide to Siege Weapons and Tactics (9781592287109): Konstantin Nossov: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Weapon-Visual-History-Arms-Armor/dp/0756622107/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armor (9780756622107): DK Publishing: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/New-Weapons-World-Encyclopedia-International/dp/0312368321/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-3]Amazon.com: The New Weapons of the World Encyclopedia: An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to the 21st Century (9780312368326): Diagram Group: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Visual-History-Fighting-Man/dp/075663203X/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-8]Amazon.com: Warrior: A Visual History of the Fighting Man (9780756632038): R. G. Grant: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Weapons-International-Encyclopedia-D-Updated/dp/0312039506/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-6]Amazon.com: Weapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition (9780312039509): Diagram Group: Books[/ame]
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Arms-Armor-DK-Eyewitness-Books/dp/0756606543/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260635374&sr=1-7]Amazon.com: Arms & Armor (DK Eyewitness Books) (0690472006541): Michele Byam: Books[/ame]
Just remember though, people have to design, construct, and carry around stuff like this. By nature and purpose these things have to be practical, efficient, and effective. It ain't like the movies.
You might get a feel for this by loading up a 60 to 70 pound pack and going for about a five to ten mile hike through the woods, or whatever terrain is common to your area, just make it tough terrain. Nothing gives you a feel for reality like actually doing a thing. then imagine doing that or more every day for weeks and having to build defines, get food and water and wood for fires, etc.
It shows why things were the way they were. Which were very gritty and practical.
