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…
Greek Fire: Civil War in the “Cradle of Democracy” After WW2
War History Online Presents this Guest Blog From Alan G. Gauthreaux. A highly motivated and extremely determined Greek army descended on communist guerrillas on three sides…
Constantinople: Holding The Walls At All Costs
At dawn, the leaders of the defence gazed out west from the walls of Constantinople. The two Byzantine commanders, Bonus and Sergius, did not speak…
The Persian Thermopylae: Alexander’s Fight Through the Pass at Persepolis Almost Cost Him His Empire
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…
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…
A Day in the Life of a Roman Legionary
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…
The End of an Era – The Sack of Rome
Rome, the city that had ruled the world, was in chaos. To the north-west, a great pillar of dirty smoke rose skywards from the Gardens…
The Spartans Had Never Surrendered Until The Brutal Battle Which Changed The Course Of The War
It is often said that the Spartan warriors never retreated and never surrendered. They would fight to the death no matter the odds, and were…
When Pirates Kidnapped Julius Caesar He Laughed at Their Ransom Demands and Told Them To Ask for More
Long ago a 25-year-old Roman author, poet, priest, and aristocrat was kidnapped by pirates. Rather than plead for his release, however, he ordered them to…
Legion Vs Phalanx: Two Powerhouse Formations of Ancient Warfare
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…
Sparta’s Hoplite Warriors: The Most Influential Ancient Military Force
Today, many individuals connect Sparta with a few movies and then dismiss the influential historical city as something of little importance. However, Sparta’s strict military…
Forged In The Fires Of Battle And Myth: The Mighty Roman Army
1. Mythical Origins Legends tell that the Roman army began with Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome, and his bodyguard of 300 warriors called the…