Halting the Northern Crusades: 1410 Battle of Tannenberg
The Crusades were monumental military efforts to secure Christian Holy lands around Jerusalem. Two orders of warrior monks, the Templars, and Hospitallers, had great successes…
The movie 300 has way more historical value than you might think
Many people would scoff immediately after reading this title, but the almost ten year old movie 300 really does have a lot to contribute to…
Historical Review: Master and Commander; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
It is rare for Hollywood movies to be historically accurate and many people know that making a movie out of a book is usually disappointing,…
The Nika Riots: Sports Riots that Nearly Toppled an Empire
Today soccer is unequivocally the most popular sport in a world with countless different sports vying for fans. In the ancient world there were not…
Akbar’s Trap: The Khyber Pass Massacre
In the mid-19th century, the Great Game was played out between the Russian and British Empires, primarily for control of Asia. The two powers sought…
1571 Battle of Lepanto: The Pope’s Naval Crusade – Destroying the Ottoman Empire Naval Supremacy
The Ottoman Empire grew from being a minor power in modern Turkey to controlling much of the Middle East and Eastern Europe. By 1453, they…
Elite Cavalry Units of the Ancient World
Prior to gunpowder and efficient pike squares, cavalry had a key impact on the battlefield. Cavalry was utilized differently based on their training, equipment, and…
The Pros and Cons of Ancient War Elephants
Elephants are generally peaceful and majestic creatures but throughout history, their size and power were used with devastating results on the battlefield. With the adoption…
Alexander’s Masterpiece: Gaugamela – Defeating The Persians, 331 BC
In the countless theoretical lists of best generals of all time, Alexander the Great is often at or very near the top, in fact, such…
How Scipio Defeated Hannibal And His Elephants and Earned the Name Africanus
Scipio Africanus was only of the most talented generals in the ancient world. He was barely an adult when Hannibal invaded Italy. He fought in…
1453: The Fall of Constantinople and the end of the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire didn’t end with the 476 depositions of the Western Emperor Romulus or the Fall of Rome. It continued with solid momentum in…
Sparta: Growth of an Empire
It is widely known that the Spartans produced some of the most brutally efficient warriors of all time, but how did they gain that reputation?…