Ancient History | War History

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 Viking Mercenaries of the Byzantine Empire – The Varangian Guard

The Byzantines Hired Viking Mercenaries as Guards The relationship between the Byzantine Emperors and their Varangian Guard was a complex affair. The Byzantines were first…

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 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…

Geologist May Have Found Exact Route Hannibal Used To Cross The Alps-Following a Trail of Dung

In 218 BC, Hannibal marched an army consisting of soldiers, mules, horses and elephants from Spain, over the Alps, and into Italy to attack the…

Battle of Mount Vesuvius, Spartacus and His Men Abseiling Down a Mountain

It is not often that significant battles occur on the slopes of tall mountains, as there are usually too many forces involved for such steep…

Masinissa: The Warrior King of Numidia who fought alongside his Armies Well into His 80s

Minor kingdoms and their Kings don’t often get a share of the historical glory because, well, they’re minor. But, one such minor king fought with…

Enemies Within And Without – Caligula, Arminius and Vercingetorix – Most Hated Men Of Ancient Rome

If you haven’t seen the first post covering the Roman Republic, here it is. Rome hated a lot of people over the thousands of years…

A Day in the Life of a Roman Legionary – The Men Who Made The Mightiest Military In The Ancient World

Roman legionaries were among the most ruthlessly efficient soldiers in the ancient world. But even for these highly disciplined and well-equipped men, the armies that…

Brotherhood, Blood, And Discipline: How It Felt To Fight In An Ancient Roman Battle

It’s the first century AD and the professional Roman army is at the height of its power. You’re part of that army – a soldier…

5 Ancient Generals Who Had No Problem Fighting Heroically On The Front Lines

Generals now certainly do not fight on the front lines, that would be ridiculous. Perhaps the last time we had instances of high-ranking officers in…

The Most Hated Enemies Of The Ancient World’s Greatest Empire: Rome

Throughout the history of Rome, from the Kingdom of the 700s BCE  to the fall of the Empire in 476, there have been individuals who…