The Influence of Sea Power on Ancient History

Alfred Thayer Mahan's ninetenth-century classic, The Influence of SeaPower Upon History, has long occupied a central place in the canon of strategicthought. But as Chester G. Starr shows in this thought-provoking work, Mahan'stheories have also led to serious misperceptions among historians about thesignificance of naval superiority in antiquity. This analytical study of therole of sea power from the second millennium B.C. to the end of the Roman Empireillustrates both the utility and the limitations of naval power. Focusing onAthens and Carthage, Starr demonstrates that control of the seas was not alwaysa strategic necessity. Similarly, he examines the Roman imperial navy--the mostadvanced and widely-based naval structure in antiquity--noting that when Romefell it tas due to invasions by land, not sea. Starr describes major navalbattles in fascinating detail, and analyzes technological developments as theyreveal the limitations of galleys in warfare. This innovative study provides animportant corrective to Mahan's thesis, both as applied to ancient history andto modern strategic thought--making it provocative reading for those interestedin ancient history and also for those who follow military history.