When the remains of 27 skeletons dating back to 8000BCE were found near Lake Turkana in Kenya, their brutal collective demise appeared to be the earliest verifiable example of warfare. A History of War tells the story of warfare from the earliest prehistoric tribal disputes, through great imperial and global wars, to present-day counter-insurgency and 'hybrid' conflicts. It considers the evolution of armies from part-time and seasonal forces to professional standing armies, and covers the extraordinary range of technology and weaponry, as well as tactics that have been developed to wage war. These developments are illustrated with examples of wars through the ages, including early battles such as Actium and Marathon, through great conflicts such as the Hundred Years' War in Europe as well as the impact of great warrior peoples such as the Mongols. The story culminates in the two world wars of the 20th century and the many regional wars that followed and continue to the present day. Book jacket.