Armies of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, 550-330 BC

Organization, Weapons and Tactics
Gabriele Esposito presents a detailed overview of the history, organization, equipment and tactics of the military forces deployed by Achaemenid Persia during the period 550-330 BC. The Achaemenid Empire founded by Cyrus the Great was one of the major military powers of Antiquity, conquering vast territories that straddled three continents. Its large and varied population supplied a dazzling array of troop types, producing a versatile war machine that campaigned from India to Egypt. These were the armies that drank rivers dry as they invaded Greece and, at the Empire’s zenith, defeated the Spartans at Thermopylae and torched Athens. They continued to evolve but proved unable to cope with Alexander the Great’s Macedonians.The author outlines the major campaigns fought by the Persians from Cyrus the Great to the conquest by Alexander. He details the organization, equipment and tactics of the many different contingents that made up the Persian military forces, including (but not limited to) the famous royal guard of the Immortals, and such varied troops as Persian archers, scythed chariots, Ionian Greek hoplites, Arab camel riders, Scythian horse archers, Sogdians and Bactrian armoured cavalry, Thracian peltasts, Egyptians and Indian war elephants. The text is complemented by a colourful mix of photos of reenactors and specially-commissioned artworks.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.