Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Unconventional Warfare in the Ancient World [Paperback]

A gripping and groundbreaking history of how ancient cultures developed and used biological, chemical, and other unconventional weapons of war

Flamethrowers, poison gases, incendiary bombs, the large-scale spreading of disease: are these terrifying agents of warfare modern inventions? Not by a long shot. In this riveting history of the origins of unconventional war, Adrienne Mayor shows that cultures around the world have used biological and chemical weapons for thousands of yearsand debated the morality of doing so. Drawing extraordinary connections between the mythical worlds of Hercules and the Trojan War, the accounts of Herodotus and Thucydides, and modern methods of war and terrorism, this richly illustrated history catapults readers into the dark and fascinating realm of ancient war and mythic treachery.

USAdrienne Mayoris the author ofThe Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Romes Deadliest Enemy, which was a finalist for the National Book Award,Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines, and Ancient Dreams of Technology, andThe Amazons: Lives and Legends of Warrior Women across the Ancient World(all Princeton). She is a research scholar in classics and the history of science at Stanford University.This revised and updated edition of Adrienne Mayors trailblazing study of ancient biological and chemical weapons couldnt be timelier. Every page is full of insight, originality, and erudition, all delivered in powerful prose.Barry Strauss, author ofThe War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium

A gift for any writer of historical fiction and any student of human history. A fascinating and horrifying read.Dana Stabenow, author ofA Cold Day for Murder:A Kate Shugak Investigation Rich and entertaining. ---Mary Carmichael,Newsweek [An] illuminating history of warfare. . . .Greek Firealso excavates ancient alƒ/