Ancient History | War History

Legendary Battles That Would Make Outstanding Films

Artist's depiction of the Battle of Belleau Wood + Swedish machine gunner aiming a machine gun in the snow

War movies have been popular for as long as films have existed. As a result, some of the more popular subjects have been completely exhausted.…

Lethal Weapons: 5 of the Most Effective Man-Killing Tools in History

Crusades

Weapons are simply an extension of the capabilities of the human body. In practice, though, they have been extremely expensive and complex, with quite literally…

These 4 Weapons Created For Combat Were Cheap But Ingenious Game Changers

Sometimes, no matter how tactically adept a military force may be, if an opponent suddenly shows up with a particularly advanced or capable weapon, it…

The Ancient Greek Army of Same-Sex Lovers who helped defeat the Spartans

Sacred Band Of Thebes

The ancient Greek city of Thebes was surprisingly relaxed about gay relationships, even catching the attention of famous Greek philosopher Plato, who noted that opinions…

Berserkers: Soldiers who fought in a trance and gave us the modern-day word for “Berserk”

Berserker

Old Norse literature details stories of wild soldiers who fought battles in a trancelike state, feeling neither pain nor fear and not stopping until, they,…

16th Century Rocket Cats: Brilliant Warfare Tactic Or Terrible Idea?

The Medieval era is known for its unique takes on just about everything. From strange hygiene habits to medical practices, it was certainly a different…

Persian Immortals: The Elite Army Of The Achaemenid Empire

Colorful brick artwork of five Persian Immortals

The Achaemenid Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, was founded by Cyrus II in 550 B.C. It controlled a large swath of western…

Athenian Hoplites: An Overlooked Part Of Athens’ Success In The Ancient World

Ancient warfare has been heavily analyzed by scholars and has made waves in movies such as 300. However, popular culture and scholarly studies tend to…

How Sling Weaponry Revolutionized Warfare In The Ancient World

Ancient Roman soldiers with slings + a replica of a Balearic sling

For most, the sling is known as the weapon of choice for cartoon troublemaker Bart Simpson. However, it used to be a widely used weapon…

Did The Trojan War Really Happen? Here’s What We Know

The Trojan War remains one of the greatest stories from ancient times. Filled with strong warriors, heroes, epic battles, divine intervention, and a giant wooden…

History Hack – Fantastic Podcasts Beating Lockdown Blues

Timing, as they say is everything. With everyone currently at home under confinement there has never been a better time to launch a series of…

More Terracotta Warriors Found at Ancient Chinese Burial Site

Chinese farmers were digging a well in 1974 when they discovered fragments of a life-sized statue of a terracotta  warrior. The area was then discovered…