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…
The Fall of the Aztecs, The Bloody Path to Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan was an absolutely amazing city. The city was larger than any in Europe at the time and held approximately 200,000 people with some estimates…
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…
Sparta: Growth Of An Empire – It Is Widely Known That The Spartans Produced Some Of The Most Brutally Efficient Warriors Of All Time
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?…
Sons of Mars: Early Formative Events that Shaped the Roman Empire
How exactly were the Romans able to rise from a small trading settlement near a ford in the Tiber to establishing an empire that stretched…
Rome’s Worst Defeat: The Battle of Cannae 216 B.C.E.
The battle of Cannae was an almost perfect tactical victory for Hannibal Barca. Facing a Roman army almost twice the size on a level field,…
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…
Caligula, Arminius and Vercingetorix Rome’s Most Hated Persons
Rome hated a lot of people over the thousands of years it held power, so this list is far from comprehensive, feel free to add…
Blood and Discipline: What it Was Like to Fight in a Roman Battle
It’s the first century AD and the Roman army is at the height of its power and professionalism. You’re part of that army – a…
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…
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…