Description

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An ancient design, emerging from Central Asia in the second millennium B.C., the composite bow was adopted by a staggering variety of cultures, from nomadic tribal peoples such as the Huns, Turks, and Mongols, to mighty empires such as the Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, and Chinese. Offering high power and portability, the composite bow was an ideal cavalry weapon, though it was also used by infantry in open battle, and as a siege weapon. In this important study, an expert on Eastern military technology tells the story of this extraordinary piece of military hardware: how it was made and how various cultures developed differing tactics for using it. He explains why the composite bow achieved such stunning successes, and how it endured as a weapon of choice for thousands of years.

About the Author

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Mike Loades is an author, broadcaster, director, and action arranger who has made numerous television appearances as a historical weapons expert and military historian. He is the author of The Longbow (2013) and Swords and Swordsmen (2010).

Peter Dennis has contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects, including many Osprey titles. A keen wargamer and modelmaker, he is based in Nottinghamshire, UK.