The composite bow is one of the most influential weapons of all time, having a profound impact on human history. An ancient design, emerging from Central Asia in the second millennium BCE, the composite bow came to be adopted by a staggering variety of cultures, from nomadic tribal peoples such as the Huns, Turks and Mongols, to mighty empires such as Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Muslims and Chinese. Offering a lethal combination of high power and small size, the portability of the composite bow made it an ideal cavalry weapon, though it was also used by infantry in open battle and as an offensive and defensive siege weapon. In this important study, an expert on Eastern military technology tells the story of this extraordinary piece of military hardware; how it was made and how various cultures developed differing tactics for using it. He explains why the composite bow achieved such stunning successes across Asia, Europe and parts of Africa and how it endured as a weapon of choice for thousands of years.