Ancient Warfare Blog

Podcast episode 137: the Greco-Persian Wars

This entry was posted on February 26, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

The team gathers to discuss the latest issue: Ancient Warfare XIV.4 - the Greco-Persian Wars. There's obviously a lot to discuss here and unsurprisingly, we... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 28 (136): How to start a battle

This entry was posted on February 25, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

Two states go to war. Two armies take to the field. Then what? How do ancient armies find each other, deploy for battle and begin... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 27 (135): An end to expansion?

This entry was posted on February 24, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

Some Ancient empires seem to expand endlessly, until they came up to a hard stop, somehow. Patron Mic asked what kind of factors might influence... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 26 (134): A keen eye for officers?

This entry was posted on February 23, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

The Theban Sacred Band (see also Murray Dahm's article in AW XIV.2) is an object of considerable fascination to many, though the sources are limited... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 25 (132): The powerful Praetorian guard

This entry was posted on February 2, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

The Roman Praetorian Guard notoriously inserted itself in the succession of various Roman emperors. But how did it get powerful enough to be able to... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 24 (131): Stripping the dead

This entry was posted on February 1, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

We often read of armies using the equipment of their former enemies. Hannibal's army after Cannae is especially thought to have done so. Did that... Read more

War elephants in North Africa

This entry was posted on January 29, 2021 by Jona Lendering.

Statuette of a war elephant from Pompeii (c) Livius.org In his description of the battle of Raphia (217 B.C.), the Greek historian Polybius claims that... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 23 (130): Roman wedges

This entry was posted on January 28, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

The Roman Imperial army is often described as consisting of a line of wedges, almost like a sawtooth. How did that work? Enjoy the podcast... Read more

Podcast episode 133: Coups, successes and failures

This entry was posted on January 27, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

For our January 'in-between-issues' podcast, we decided just after New Year's Day we'd look at coups, successful and failed, and what makes them so.  Enjoy... Read more

Ancient Warfare Answers episode 22 (129): Storing money, or not.

This entry was posted on January 26, 2021 by Jasper Oorthuys.

Cicero famously called money the "sinews of war". It was needed to pay soldiers, hire mercenaries, buy food and other supplies, but how was it... Read more