The last and longest war of classical antiquity was fought in the early seventh century. It was ideologically charged and fought along the full length of the Persian-Roman frontier, drawing in all the available resources and great powers of the steppe world. The conflict raged on an unprecedented scale, and its end brought the classical phase of history to a close. Despite all this, it has left a conspicuous gap in the history of warfare. This book aims to finally fill that gap. The war opened in summer 603 when Persian armies launched co-ordinated attacks across the Roman frontier. Twenty-five years later the fighting stopped after the final, forlorn counteroffensive thrusts of the Emperor Heraclius into the Persians' Mesopotamian heartland. James Howard-Johnston pieces together the scattered and fragmentary evidence of this period to form a coherent story of the dramatic events, as well as an introduction to key players-Turks, Arabs, and Avars, as well as Persians and Romans- and a tour of the vast lands over which the fighting took place. The decisions and actions of individuals-particularly Heraclius, a general of rare talent-and the various immaterial factors affecting morale take centre stage, yet due attention is also given to the underlying structures in both belligerent empires and to the Middle East under Persian occupation in the 620s. The result is a solidly founded, critical history of a conflict of immense significance in the final episode of classical history.

"The Last Great War...offers a much-needed and indispensable introduction into a period that is, due to the complexity and pace of geopolitical changes, and the scattered nature of the evidence, notoriously difficult to grasp." - Nadine Viermann, Durham University , Early Medieval Europe

"Howard-Johnston provides a useful education in disciplined and meticulous historiography. He also explores larger themes, such as imperial motivations, grand strategy, foreign relations, military geography, and religion. This accessible volume reveals a relatively unknown topic and fills a significant gap in the history of warfare." - J. D. Lyons, CHOICE

"James Howard-Johnston succeeds in providing a gripping and detailed account of the Persian-Roman War." - Usman Butt, Middle East Monitor

"His (James Howard-Johnston) narrative is lively, his knowledge of the sources is unmatched, his interpretations masterful, and he exposes the inner workings of the book regularly in philosophical comments on the job of the military historian, causation in history, and the problems of source interpretation." - Stephen Morillo, Shepherd

"Howard-Johnston's book is a masterpiece of positivist historiography." - Federico Montinaro, Plekos 25