Greek Fire, Poison Arrows and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World

By Adrienne Mayor

Book Overview

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 years--and 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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691211086
• ISBN13: 9780691211084
• Release Date: July 2022
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Not worth the price

Although the topic seems very interesting and intriguing, I found the author’s style to be overly repetitive. The book could have made all of the same claims with less than half of the words used. And, examples of the earliest bio-chemical weapons were referenced to mythology as if those stories somehow made the references factual. That seems like a stretch.

Greek Fire ...

If you enjoy reading and learning about the ancient world, this study of classical warfare is truly one to put on your to-read list. The author draws upon actual ancient wars as well as mythological battles of heroes like Heracles to bring to life the belligerent nature of our ancient ancestors.

Great Book

I thought many previous reviews of this book were overly harsh and critical. As a lay person interested in history, I found it engaging, the stories well-told, the information fascinating. I went away from reading this book with a much greater appreciation for our ancient ancestors and their intelligence and innovation. I think we sometimes look at the ancients as intellectual children, when they were just as intelligent as we--if not more so. While I don't think the book necessarily has a place in a college classroom, for me, a reader and a writer, it was a fantastic read.

She Knows The Research and Classic Territory

Mayor's talent for making ancient history readable, exciting, provocative, current and relevant shows up -- as it did in her earlier Fossil Hunting book -- with addition of shocking tales of "all's fair in war" coverage of grotesque inhumanities. She knows the territory: on site as well as in literature, museums, and libraries and continues to push the discipline forward in fresher looks at people as protaganists in antiquity. We are inevitably reminded about what conflict and conquest mean today by her descriptions of creative cruelties devised for politics and warfare over the centuries. Well documented, readably presented,strikingly illustrated, GREEK FIRE engagingly brought me newer and persuasive insights into old myths. Reader/academic in Oregon

Ground-Breaking and Provocative

The ancient Greeks and Romans were not just wise but toxic; they were as much at home with venom as with virtue; and their heroes fought with germs as well as arms. Thse are the conclusions of this ground-breaking new book. Fascinating and provocative, Greek Fire will make you rethink the legacy of the ancient world.

Excellent

An outstanding, detailed, and well-researched book about chemical and biological weapons since the dawn of time (literally : neolithic combatants tossed beehives into adversaries' caves!). An engaging and illuminating read for historians, military arts afficianados, and general readers.