“This is a deeply learned book in the tradition of grand theory, sweeping from the societies of archeology and anthropology to the contemporary world system. Levy and Thompson’s careful application of evolutionary theory has produced a foundational book on international relations.”

Bruce Russett, Yale University

“Through a comprehensive review of the literature, The Arc of War presents an interesting and important argument that there is a coevolutionary process at work during warfare, whereby political economy, military organization, weapons, and the threat environment are all endogenous.”

David Sobek, Louisiana State University

“A long-term account of the development of warfare that is unusual for its determination to go way back in time, this is a book that considers early man and the ancient Near East as well as more recent history. Jack S. Levy and William R. Thompson, both distinguished political scientists with a strong interest in the historical dimension of war, consider the origins of warfare, looking at anthropological processes as well as the relationship between political-economic development and resource scarcities. They argue that war co-evolves with other activities, including military and political organization, political economy, threat environment, and weaponry. This is is an important book worthy of considerable attention.”

War in History