Siege Warfare and Military Organization in the Successor States (400–800 AD), by Leif Inge Ree Petersen
James Howard‐Johnston
Rare indeed is the young historian who ready to range over several centuries and probe cultures, when most of his contemporaries are hunkering down look closely at small, carefully delineated topics, often as members project-oriented research teams. Leif Petersen wonderfully anomalous in early twenty-first century. He sets out document what reported siege operations across whole west Eurasian world late antiquity Middle Ages, compiling a massive compendium meticulous mini-narratives. The result Corpus obsidionum , which runs three hundred pages will prove an invaluable resource for future historians. scrutinises evaluates performance main historical players on this vast stage—namely east Romans mutate into Byzantines, Arabs, northern nomads (principally Huns, Avars Bulgars), Slavs, major military political entities (Ostrogoth, Visigoth, Lombard Frank) took root western half Roman empire fourth fifth centuries. identifies various techniques machines used warfare, paying particular attention new form artillery, lever machine known trebuchet circumstances its appearance West (it had long been China). Finally, he extends field inquiry organisational infrastructure needed maintain siege-warfare capability, making forays institutional social history each players.
The English Historical Review