ABSTRACT
Everyone thinks they know what the oldest profession in the world is, but the second oldest is more disputed. Without claiming any unique ancestry, it is quite obvious that martial skills have been in great demand from time immemorial:
Ever since there were wars to win, the question of what decides the victor has been a matter of far more than academic speculation. Rulers, generals and their chroniclers have always raked through the ashes of past conflicts to divine lessons for the future. Sometimes their thoughts were passed on to help the next generation, as well as to celebrate their own achievements. 1
