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The Killing Ground: A Biography of Thermopylae Hardcover – February 6, 2024

by Myke Cole (Author), Michael Livingston (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
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An exploration into why and how Thermopylae is one of the most blood-soaked patches of ground in history – and what its past can tell us about our future.

'Brilliantly demonstrated.' - Tom Holland

Since the dawn of the Classical Era up to World War II, thousands have lost their lives fighting over the pass at Thermopylae. Historians Cole and Livingston provide an exciting account of each of the 27 battles and holding actions that took place. The epic events of 480 BC when 300 Spartans attempted to hold the pass has been immortalised in poetry, art, literature and film. But no history has ever detailed the other events from the very first battle through to the battles fought by Romans, Byzantines, Huns and Ottomans during the early and late medieval periods and finally the two desperate struggles against German occupying forces during World War II. The Killing Ground details the background and history of each conflict, the personalities and decision making of the commanders, the arms and tactics of the troops, and how each battle played out.

Cole and Livingston have surveyed the ground to provide a boots-on understanding of each battle. Their command of multiple ancient and medieval languages means they have provided their own translations of much of the source material, ensuring new insights into each battle. This uncompromising scholarship is woven together into a compelling and unforgettable history that grips the reader from start to finish.

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  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Osprey Publishing
  4. Publication date
    February 6, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.15 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1472858662
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1472858665
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

The Killing Ground
A timely look at the history of war, geography, and myth-making - Douglas Boin
Brilliantly demonstrated - Tom Holland
2,500 years of battle at the gates of hell
A captivating exploration of the legendary pass of Thermopylae

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Highly recommended.” ―Adrian Goldsworthy

“A timely look at the history of war, geography, and myth-making, told through the fascinating story of one of the world's most recurrent battlefields.” ―Douglas Boin

“A survey spanning millennia of a pass that, as the authors have brilliantly demonstrated, is as well fitted to host battles as any corner of the globe.” ―Tom Holland

“In The Killing Ground Myke Cole and Michael Livingstone combine their proven talents as military historians to examine why the long, narrow stretch of land called Thermopylae in Greece was the site of twenty-seven battles that occurred there over 2,500 years. Their myth busting account of the legendary battle of 480 BC is a tour de force!” ―Lindsay Powell, author of 'Augustus at War: The Struggle for the Pax Augusta'

“A fascinating history … In The Killing Ground, Cole and Livingston have given us a vigorous and engaging reexamination of “the most blood-soaked ground in the world” that will thrill ancient- and military-history fans alike.” ―The Washington Independent Review of Books

“There is plenty of myth busting and very colorful stories of individual heroism and horrible planning. These parts are all wonderful…. a very good book and should be appealing to anyone interested in the subject matter… A great military history read.” ―History Nerds United

““The Killing Ground” is a magnificent and meticulous account of the military history of a storied piece of ground.” ―Ricochet

“The book focuses on how Thermopylae constrained battles and those who fought them. Along the way, a number of myths are debunked. Well-handled, but military history enthusiasts will probably be drawn to it the most.” ―Library Journal

“For those interested in the geography of warfare, this serves as an excellent case study. Those liking a more general history will also find this a good read.” ―Medievalists.net

“The book is engaging and easy to follow, with thorough explanations of the troops, weapons, tactics and commanders who have moved and fought over Thermopylae over many centuries.” ―Military Heritage Magazine

“Well laid out... Nicely done.” ―HMGS

About the Author

Following a long career in the military, intelligence, and law enforcement, Myke Cole is a fire/rescue responder in NY's Hudson Valley. He is a freelance historian and writer, and has published ten novels with publishers including Penguin Random House and Macmillan in addition to his history books for Osprey. Myke's short work has appeared in The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, The Daily Beast, Foreign Policy, The New Republic, McSweeney's, and Slate. He's starred on TV shows on CBS and Discovery, and has featured on NPR.

Dr Michael Livingston teaches the military and cultural history of the Middle Ages at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. He recently co-authored the textbook reader Medieval Warfare, and future works include books on the battles of Hastings and Shrewsbury. These add to previous books The Battle of Crécy: A Casebook, winner of the 2017 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for Military History, Never Greater Slaughter: Brunanburh and the Birth of England (Osprey, 2021), and Crécy: Battle of Five Kings (Osprey, 2021). He is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Osprey Publishing (February 6, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1472858662
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1472858665
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.15 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 18 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Myke Cole

    Myke Cole

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    As a secu­rity con­tractor, gov­ern­ment civilian and mil­i­tary officer, Myke Cole’s career has run the gamut from Coun­tert­er­rorism to Cyber War­fare to Fed­eral Law Enforce­ment. He’s done three tours in Iraq and was recalled to serve during the Deep­water Horizon oil spill.

    All that con­flict can wear a guy out. Thank good­ness for fan­tasy novels, comic books, late night games of Dun­geons and Dragons and lots of angst fueled writing.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Michael Livingston

    Michael Livingston

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    An acclaimed conflict analyst, Michael Livingston has twice won the Distinguished Book Prize from the international Society for Military History (2017, 2020) and is the author of numerous popular history books, including 'Never Greater Slaughter' and 'Agincourt' (Osprey). As a fiction writer, he is the author of the bestselling audiobook 'Black Crow, White Snow' (Audible) and the 'Seaborn' series of novels it inspired, as well as the 'Shards of Heaven' historical fantasy series.

    At present he serves as Citadel Distinguished Professor at The Citadel.

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
18 global ratings
Glad I Purchased
5 Stars
Glad I Purchased
I’m about 3/4 of the way through but so far it’s been clear, concise, and held my attention. Amazing how many times history has repeated itself at that same location.
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Top reviews from the United States

Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I Purchased
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I’m about 3/4 of the way through but so far it’s been clear, concise, and held my attention. Amazing how many times history has repeated itself at that same location.
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Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I Purchased
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
I’m about 3/4 of the way through but so far it’s been clear, concise, and held my attention. Amazing how many times history has repeated itself at that same location.
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Marion
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, well researched but a slow read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024
Verified Purchase
Lots of information but a slow read.
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Rich B
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just about the 480 BC Battle, but so much more
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2024
Verified Purchase
The Killing Ground: A Biography of Thermopylae by Cole & Livingston
 
A lot of blood has been shed in Thermopylae, the pass made infamous by Leonidas and Xerxes in 480 BC. However, there are many more battles and key actions that have occurred on this site. Cole and Livingston cover Thermopylae as a character itself, one that seemingly has a gravitational pull for war to occur on its grounds. The authors explain why that pull exist. 
 
Just like those armies, anything involving the battle of Thermopylae ropes me in so this was a no brainer preorder for me. The book covers a ton of information on the geography of the land so important to Greece defense. The authors take you through historical stories of the battles and actions we know that were impacted by this area and how the changes in the land itself played a part. Of course you can expect a heavy dose of the King Leonidas and King of King Xerxes showdown, but also great stories involving Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire, Alaric the Goth, Attila the Hun and WW2.
4 people found this helpful
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HistoryNerdsUnited
4.0 out of 5 stars It's not just for Spartans
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
Thermopylae and the Spartans is the quintessential "last stand" in history. However, did you know how many other battles and military actions occurred there? I certainly didn't. Thankfully, Myke Cole and Michael Livingston are here to remedy that with their book The Killing Ground.

I am a fan of Michael Livingston already and Myke Cole has a well received book on military history which is going on my to-read list. I had a general idea what to expect. The authors would fully survey the ground of Thermopylae, both now and in the past, and then lead the reader through each battle. There is plenty of mythbusting and very colorful stories of individual heroism and horrible planning. These parts are all wonderful.

The one issue I had with the book is almost unfair. The authors cover every single instance where Thermopylae is involved in combat. Unfortunately, (and they readily admit this) some of these episodes have almost no documentation. While I appreciate the thoroughness of the authors, these chapters slow down the narrative even with their best efforts to state what we do know and move on quickly. That said, this is still a very good book and should be appealing to anyone interested in the subject matter.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Osprey Publishing.)
6 people found this helpful
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thomas alan owen
5.0 out of 5 stars BOOK
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2024
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GREAT READ
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