An excellent overview about the history of European arms and armor throughout the ages--it's not as detailed and as "mature" as Oakeshott's later works, and some of the concepts contained therein are a bit dated, but still a good starting point for a scholar who wants to understand the "big picture" before going into greater detail on specific regions and periods. Prospective readers should make sure that they get the newest edition(s) because the additional notes and errata do a fairly good job at correcting and updating the original 1960s text.

—Updated Aug 22, 2008