In Battle, award-winning historian Iain MacGregor charts the key encounters that have shaped the evolution of warfare – from the clash of hoplite spears at Marathon and the storm of longbows at Agincourt, to the firestorms of Stalingrad in the Second World War and the drone warfare of modern Ukraine. Battle is far more than a chronicle of triumphs and defeats.

MacGregor delves into the human and technological driving forces behind history's most decisive clashes: the brilliant leaders, the revolutionary impact of new weaponry, the fragile lifeline of supply, and, above all, the endurance of morale – the lifeblood of any army. Famous commanders from Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to Napoleon and Nelson are seen afresh as MacGregor examines the units they led, the weapons they used and the tactics that brought them victory, illuminating both the genius and the folly that turned battlefields into crucibles of history. Panoramic in scope yet alive with vivid detail, Battle is an exhilarating ride through centuries of conflict and innovation.