William Mclaughlin

William Mclaughlin is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE

Articles by William Mclaughlin:

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…

Being a Footsoldier in Ancient Battles; A Frontline View of Victory

What was it actually like to fight with the heavy infantry on an ancient battlefield? The average person has their views shaped by Hollywood, but…

Four Military Operations Which Were Fought In Abominable Weather Conditions

Rain and snow tend to make people stay inside with a nice cup of tea, hot chocolate, or maybe something stronger. As you would expect,…

The Roman Barbarian Wars; The Era of Roman Conquest – Review by William McLaughlin

Roman wars against “barbarians” can often be very difficult to cover. In victory, they can be deemed inconsequential or unworthy of special mention by ancient…

1453: The Fall Of Constantinople And The End Of The Roman Empire

The Roman Empire didn’t end with the 476 depositions of the Western Emperor Romulus or the Fall of Rome. It continued with solid momentum in…

Elite Cavalry Units of the Ancient World – They Were Very Effective

Prior to gunpowder and efficient pike squares, cavalry had a key impact on the battlefield. Cavalry was utilized differently based on their training, equipment, and…