Warfare in the Ancient Near East Armies and Strategy From Sumer to Persia

The army was not just a defender of borders; it was the first and most complex bureaucratic apparatus of the ancient state." — Kağan Dönmez Warfare in the Ancient Near East: Armies and Strategy from Sumer to Persia How did the first organized military forces shape the very foundations of human civilization? This work offers a comprehensive investigation into the military systems of the Ancient Near East, tracing the systemic evolution of warfare from the pioneering Sumerian city-states to the vast, sophisticated imperial machinery of the Persian Empire. By integrating Ancient History, International Relations, and Political Economy, Kağan Dönmez explores how military power was not merely a tool of conquest, but the fundamental driver of state formation, logistical innovation, and administrative complexity. As the third monograph in the author's acclaimed series on ancient strategic thought, this volume provides an essential resource for scholars and students alike. It bridges the gap between antiquity's tactical realities and the socio-political structures that continue to inform global strategic thought today.