The Shield of Rome: Fabius Cunctator
Many generals are overshadowed or underappreciated for what they did for their state; Belisarius who reconquered much of the lost Western Roman Empire and Tamerlane,…
Single Combat in Ancient Rome
David and Goliath, Hector and Achilles, Romulus and Acro. Great instances of single combat are not limited to these far distant and historically vague events.…
The Siege of Masada: Rome’s Assertion of Authority
During Rome’s centuries as a growing empire it faced countless rebellions and challenges to its dominance of the Mediterranean, the old Italian allies even revolted…
A Force To Be Reckoned With – Fearsome War Elephants On Ancient Battlefields
Elephants are peaceful and majestic creatures, but throughout history, their size and power were used with devastating results on the battlefield. With the adoption of…
Thousands of Romans killed in the dense German woodland: What if the Teutoburg Disaster Didn’t Happen
“What if” history questions can be a divisive. Some view them as an exercise in futility, a place where no serious historians should go. Others…
Egyptian Warfare and the Largest Chariot Battle in History
The battle of Megiddo was the first reliably recorded battle, and not long after the battle of Kadesh would claim the title of the largest…
Romans in China: The Lost Legions of Carrhae
The Romans in the first century BCE were perhaps the most growing empires around. Though the civil wars of Caesar and Pompey, and Octavian and…
Great Sieges: Jerusalem (70 CE) – One Million Lives Lost In 8 Months Of Combat
The Romans generally tolerated other religions, allowing and even welcoming Egyptian gods into their pantheon. Though they viewed the monotheistic Jews as being odd, they…
The Greatest Underdog Victories in Pre-Gunpowder Battles
Ancient and Medieval generals were often smart enough to avoid battle against a much larger force but throughout history there are many cases where much…
How Cortes Captured the Mighty Tenochtitlan with 1,000 Spaniards… and smallpox, and 100,000 natives, and guns
In June of 1521 Hernan Cortes had a sizable force of Conquistadors outside of Tenochtitlan but was tasked with rescuing his garrison of a few…
Arab Women Shame Their Fleeing Men Back Towards the Fight At The Battle of Yarmouk
Most people are familiar with the general history of the Arab expansion after the death of Mohammad. The Arabs didn’t sit idly in Saudi Arabia,…
Development of the Awe-inspiring Triple Walls of Constantinople
The great city of Constantinople was one of the most impressive and impregnable cities in the world for over 1,000 years. It retained the glory…