Dictionary of Battles and Sieges [Three Volumes]: A Guide to 8,500 Battles from Antiquity through the Twenty-first Century

Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
This three-volume work includes 8,500 battles and sieges, from the Egyptian-Syrian Wars in 1468 BC to the second Gulf War, of 2003. The author, an independent scholar, was assisted by an international editorial board, reflecting the work's focus. Eastern and Western history are given equal space, resulting in a truly comprehensive perspective. Arranged alphabetically by battle name, entries are dictionary length, averaging 2 to 3 sentences. Since most battles are named for their locations, the format allows the reader to quickly distinguish between multiple battles or sieges that occurred in the same place, such as the seven different entries, ranging from 1069 to 1943, for the city of Kiev, Ukraine. Each entry includes the dates of the battle and the name of the larger war or conflict as well as the opposing commanders (if known) and the outcome. See also references in bold text alert the reader to other battle entries, and plenty of see references help resolve some of the potential confusion about battle names. Though entries consist only of battles and sieges, the nearly 200-page index at the end of volume 3 allows access to people. For example, a search for Genghis Khan leads the reader to 19 different battle and siege entries within the dictionary proper. Two additional access points are found in volume 1: a chronological listing of all battles and sieges and a grouping of battles and sieges by their larger conflict. Volume 3 includes an appendix that lists conflicts that did not have an individual battle or siege entry but were considered important enough to note, such as the Shi'ite rebellion of 814–819. The last part of volume 3 is a chronologically arranged bibliography listing hundreds of books, from general sources like John F. C. Fuller's classic Battles of the Western World (1954) to more specialized titles. The only drawback to this otherwise excellent work is the price. For the libraries that can afford a nearly $300 print reference source, this is highly recommended, as the international focus and comprehensive nature will make it a useful source for all students and amateur and professional historians. Moyer, Jessica
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Review
“This impressive three-volume set describes 8,500 battles and sieges from the Battle of Megiddo in 1468 BCE to the battles of the Second Gulf War in 2003. Defining a battle as "any clash between organized forces of combatants," the set includes both major battles and minor skirmishes. Although it concentrates on land battles, the dictionary includes a selection of sea and air battles. The name, year, and war associated with the battle are stated at the outset of each 50-60-word entry (a length adhered to for all entries, regardless of the scale or impact of the battle). The entry describes the course of the engagement, the commanders involved, and the outcome. Each entry concludes with the specific date of the battle or siege. Arranged alphabetically, entries are extensively cross-referenced, with boldface type directing users to related entries. The dictionary includes 2,500 cross-reference entries for alternate names of battles. Use of the dictionary is greatly aided by the "Chronological Reference Guide," which arranges the battles in chronological order according to the name of the particular war. The dictionary is supported by a 24-page bibliography and a detailed name index. Highly recommended. All levels.”–Choice

“New Zealander Jaques has rendered a great service to history by compiling the most detailed list of battles worldwide ever published. Defining a battle as a clash between organized forces of combatants, he notes that some have been epic engagements lasting weeks and involving millions while others were frontier skirmishes. Entries for the 8500 battles listed include name and date of the battle, name of the war, context, commanders, and outcome.”–Library Journal

“This three-volume work includes 8,500 battles and sieges from the Egyptian-Syrian Wars in 1468 B.C to the second Gulf War of 2003. The author, an independent scholar, was assisted by an editorial board, the international make-up of which reflects the work's focus. Eastern and Western history are given equal space, resulting in a truly comprehensive perspective....[t]his is highly recommended, as the international focus and comprehensive nature will make it a useful source for all students, amateur, and professional historians.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

“With such a remarkably broad coverage, on nearly every page one suspects that even the specialist in military history will find a battle - and sometimes a ware - that they do not know of.”–Reference Reviews

“This three-volume work alphabetically lists 8,500 individual battles from across the world's recorded history, from the Battle of Megiddo in 1468 BC to the US invasion of Iraq. Making no attempt to distinguish or categorize the different battles, the author includes the following information in the entries: the name and date of the battle, the name of the war and the basic military context in which the battle was fought, the opposing commanders (if known), and the outcome of the fighting. A chronological reference guide to all the battles included precedes the alphabetical entries. An appendix lists significant wars that did not have major recorded battles. A bibliography and an index are also included.”–Reference & Research Book News