Ancient History | War History

Top Four Totally Effective Surprise Attacks in Military History

Surprise attacks and ambushes can turn the tide of war. More often than not, the side that has the larger base of industry or manpower…

Mantinea: Greeks Killing Each Other to Pave the Way for Conquest

Philip of Macedon conquered the Greeks, most of us know that, but how did he do it? These mighty Greeks faced huge numbers of Persian…

How Caesar Defeated 250,000 Gaulish Warriors Coming At Them From Two Sides With Only 60,000 Legionnaires

Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars had been raging for over five years when his legions faced their greatest test at the double siege of Alesia, a…

Five Amazing Facts About Hannibal Barca: Rome’s Most Dangerous Enemy

Hannibal Barca – he crossed the Alps with elephants, supposedly took a sworn oath to forever hate the Romans, and inflicted some of the worst…

The Man Who Found The Ancient Greek City of Troy

It’s difficult to mention either the early days of archaeology, Troy or even the history of ancient Greece without mentioning Heinrich Schliemann. The German archaeologist,…

The Original Against All Odds Battle – 300 Spartans at the Hot Gates of Thermopylae

Zac Snyder’s movie, “300,” came under fire for its fanciful retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. Nevertheless, he did stick to the gist of what…

Legion Vs Phalanx: Two Powerhouse Formations of the Ancient World

The organization from Homeric style hero warfare to tightly packed hoplite warfare was world changing. This powerful Hellenic formation allowed the ancient Greeks to hold…

Rome’s Greatest Enemies – Five People Who Fought Back Against the Empire

At its height, the Roman Empire spanned huge swathes of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Their military prowess, groundbreaking use of strategy and enormous…

Hadrian’s Wall – The Most Impressive Roman Construction in Britain

Though long since reduced to ruins, the line of Hadrian’s Wall is still visible through the countryside of northern England, from Bowness on the west…

Commanding Thousands – Approaches to Generalship on Ancient Battlefields

Modern generals are granted access to a multitude of communication and information gathering technologies from satellite imaging to UAVs and infantry equipped with cameras. Ancient…

The Persian Thermopylae: When Alexander The Great Nearly Lost His Empire In Battle

The Battle of the Persian Gate is not well-known, despite it being almost identical to the Greek stand at Thermopylae, only with reversed sides. A…

Some of the Best Catchphrases Of The Ancient Spartans

“Spartans, Eat Well, for Tonight We Dine in Hades” is a memorable line from the movie, 300. The movie should get credit for fitting in…