In the history of mankind, armies have always existed and been made to fight for one reason or another, but mostly at the behest of, and for the glory of, the individual ruler or government; to conquer and expand their territories, to add to their wealth and worth, and power and influence. In due course, war crafts were devised and perfected; bows and arrows gave way to cannons and gunfire, war logistics were developed, overt or subtle diplomacy was used in ways to gain the upper hand, failing which, the opponents went to war. In modern times wars have been fought for the same reasons as before but with more technical advancement and sophistication. However, their food remained much the same as ever for a very long time. Eventually due to individual effort, bold experiments, and increasing general awareness, improvements came. Lately, science and technology has played a crucial role in bringing the army foods and nourishment to the expected level of modernity, commensurate with advancements in other features of the war craft.

The common reader with interest in ancient knowledge and military history, wars, science, food, etc. faces a daunting task of finding suitable reading material presented in a concise manner. The main objective of writing this book originated in the felt need to provide a ready source of historical perspective on the armies of the past as well as contemporary times.