The Battle of Telamon: A Gaulish Army Trapped Between Three Roman Armies
The Romans and the Gauls had a bitter rivalry that lasted as long as any other in the world. One of the most humiliating events…
The End of an Era – The Sack of Rome
Rome, the city that had ruled the world, was in chaos. To the northwest, a great pillar of dirty smoke rose skywards from the Gardens…
Constantinople: Holding The Walls At All Costs
At dawn, the leaders of the defense gazed out west from the walls of Constantinople. The two Byzantine commanders, Bonus and Sergius, did not speak…
The Samnite Wars, Paving the Way for the Might of the Roman Empire
The Roman Republic was a magnificent entity. It had its problems, as all governments do, but the men served it proudly and it took many…
The Roman Army Is Not Mysterious – Here Are Some of the Ways Modern Historians Gain Their Knowledge
Given the circumstances, we know an amazing amount about the ancient Roman army. Over 1500 years after the fall of the Roman Empire fell, we…
The Ancient Roman Army’s Siege Technique Was Methodical And Terrifyingly Efficient
When the Roman army laid siege to a city, there were no half measures. Great effort went into preparing such an operation, the construction skills…
Circumvallation: How the Romans Mastered Surrounding Towns To Conquer Populations
Of all the armies of the ancient world, the Romans did the most spectacular job of combining military might with engineering skill. This was repeatedly…
The Rise and Fall of the Chariot – It Changed History, But Eventually Was A Victim Of Its Own Success
The ability to move at speed around the battlefield can create huge advantages. Before the internal combustion engine, this was usually undertaken by horses. At…
How The Spear Transformed Warfare – From Ancient Times To The Age Of Gunpowder
Spears have featured in warfare throughout history. Even after the arrival of firearms, spears continued to play a dominant role, from the pike blocks of…
Roman Emperors Who Died in Battle, From The End Of The Roman Empire To Byzantium
Though Roman Emperors occasionally did fight while out on campaigns, it was often a major shock if they were wounded or killed. If an emperor…
War on the Terraces: The Nika Riots
First the stewards and then the riot squad had been unable to deal with the supporters when trouble flared on the stands, and eventually, after…
A Different Look At History – The Teutoburg Disaster
“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…