The book is dedicated to one of the most interesting subjects relating to the military affairs of the Ancient World - war elephants, whose history can be traced from the era of Alexander the Great to the period of the reign of the Sassanids. The first attempt in Russian historiography is being made to generalize and systematize all the accumulated material on this topic. The reasons that determined the beginning, flourishing and decline of the “era of war elephants” are considered. For specialists in the history of military affairs of Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. CONTENTS: Introduction 5 Chapter I. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT WAR ELEPHANTS 81. What was known to the ancients about elephants 82 War elephants 163. Organization of elephant units in Hellenistic states and tactical methods of using these animals 264. Methods of fighting elephants 29 Chapter II. ELEPHANTS IN INDIAN ARMIES. THE FIRST COLLISIONS OF THE GREEKS WITH WAR ELEPHANTS. ELEPHANTS IN THE ARMIES OF THE DIADOCHES. ELEPHANTS OF PYRRHUS 401. Elephants in the Indian armies 402. War elephants in the era of Alexander the Great 413. War elephants in the armies of the Diadochi 504. Elephants in the army of Pyrrhus 57Chapter III. WAR ELEPHANTS IN THE ARMIES OF THE SELUCIDS, PTOLEMAIES, GRECO-BACTRIAN AND INDO-GREEK KINGS 651. War elephants in the Seleucid army 652. War elephants in the Lagid army 793. War elephants in the armies of the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kings 87Chapter IV . WAR ELEPHANTS IN THE ARMIES OF THE CARTHAGENIANS, ROMANS AND NUMIDIANS. DECLINE OF THE “AGE OF WAR ELEPHANTS.” SECONDARY APPEARANCE OF ELEPHANTS ON THE BATTLEFIELDS AFTER THE SASSANID DYNASTY CAME TO POWER 961. War elephants in the Carthaginian armies 962. Use of war elephants by the Numidians and Romans. Decline of the “era of war elephants” 1213. War elephants in the armies of Sasani Dov 135Epilogue 148Summary 154Sources 157Bibliography 159List of abbreviations 162List of illustrations 164