Siege of Sparta: When The Spartan Women Pitched in to Defend Their City
Most historians should know the term “Pyrrhic Victory,” right? Pyrrhus of Epirus (located in the modern day region of western Greece and Albania) won victories…
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden – Fierce General and Master of Early Gunpowder Tactics
We all know that gunpowder weapons exploded onto the scene in the middle ages and changed warfare forever. But how exactly did they change battles…
Mithridates the Poisoner King: Hallucinogenic honey, venom arrows – often experimented with poisons on criminals already condemned to death
Poison had a steady but often quiet or controversial place in the history of warfare. On one hand, it was incredibly useful. Poisoned wells could…
Extremely Heroic Last Stands in Military History
The Battle of Thermopylae is the ultimate example of a heroic last stand. The few mighty warriors stood against hundreds of thousands of Persian troops,…
Top Five Roman Generals: Who do you Think Made the List
The Roman Legion was a fearsome military unit. A heavy infantry advance was almost unstoppable, able to take on most enemies. The best aspect of…
Solid as a Rock: Holding Gibraltar Against All The Odds
Gibraltar is a small place, but it is full of history. Its total area is only 2.6 square miles, and this tiny landscape is dominated by…
Ancient Piracy and Teuta: The Illyrian Pirate Queen
Throughout world history, piracy has had a constant presence throughout certain parts of the world. Ancient piracy isn’t often discussed, but one could say that it…
Devastating Surprise Attacks In Military History
In War, surprise attacks, traps and ambushes can help to even the odds in an otherwise uneven fight. Guerrilla fighters can cause terrible damage both…
Siege of Vienna: Led by a Mercenary, This Desperate Army Turned the Tide on the Ottoman Empire
For four hundred years, the Crusades had seen European powers take war deep into lands far from home, under the banner of Christianity. The clash…
From The Roman Republic To The Third Reich: Four Other Battles Fought At Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was quite the epic stand. We have talked about the bravery of the Spartans a thousand times over and made multiple…
Arab Women Shame Their Fleeing Men Back Towards the Fight At The Battle of Yarmouk
Most people are familiar with the general history of the Arab expansion after the death of Mohammad. The Arabs didn’t sit idly in Saudi Arabia,…
The Siege of Numantia: Scipio Shows Young Marius How to Run a Legion
The Roman conquest of Spain was a long and arduous process. Several tribal groups occupied the Iberian Peninsula and each was a fierce and warlike…