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…
Roman Emperors Who Died in Battle, From The End Of The Roman Empire To Byzantium
Though Roman Emperors occasionally did fight while out on campaigns, it was often a major shock if they were wounded or killed. If an emperor…
War on the Terraces: The Nika Riots
First the stewards and then the riot squad had been unable to deal with the supporters when trouble flared on the stands, and eventually, after…
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…
Here Are Five Ways In Which We Know About the Roman Army
Given the circumstances, we know an amazing amount about the ancient Roman army. Over 1500 years after the fall of the Roman Empire fell, we…
Four Reasons Why Rome Fell – And How It Has Lived On
The Fall of Rome is a heavily debated topic with an extraordinary range of theories as to how such a great power ultimately fell, and…
4 Reasons Hannibal Couldn’t Win the War for Carthage
Hannibal Barca inflicted one of the worst defeats ever suffered by the Roman army at the battle of Cannae. Nearly 70,000 men were killed in…
The Battle of Leuctra: Crushing the Spartans and the Birth of the Echelon Formation
The echelon formation is a solid staple in the modern military and police world. Fighter jets use this diagonal formation to maintain visibility while maximizing…
Top 4 Underrated Battles of Roman History
There is a long list of influential battles throughout Roman history: Zama, Pharsalus, Actium, Teutoburg, Adrianople and plenty more. These tend to get a major…
The Battle of Pharsalus: How Caesar Won a Civil War While Outnumbered Two to One
The Battle of Pharsalus was one of the most important in Julius Caesar’s career. Fought on the 9th of August 48 BC, it was the…
The Four Big Reasons Why The Romans Went to War
Ruthless conquerors and efficient warriors, we remember the Roman legions as a force that swept across Europe and the Mediterranean, crushing everything in their path.…
When Spartacus and His Renegade Gladiators Gave the Romans All They Could Handle
The War of Spartacus was violent and disturbing. Gladiators and other slaves were fighting for what modern society views as the inalienable right to freedom.…