Suggestions for themes for volume X

First of all, a big thank you to everyone who has supported our Kickstarter campaign to launch Ancient History Magazine. The rest of this year is going to be very busy and will have a lot to offer to those who love the ancient world. Jona, Jasper, and I will work hard to produce a fantastic first issue of Ancient History Magazine, which will consist of 84 pages (normal issues will be 68 pages).

But there’s more coming down the pipeline, of course. Ancient Warfare issue IX.4 is the fiftieth regular issue of the magazine and, like the first issue of AHM, it will be extra thick, consisting of 84 pages of goodness about the First Punic War. A fine panel of judges (Christian Cameron, Ben Kane, Anthony Riches, and Harry Sidebottom) is currently reading through the numerous submissions to the historical fiction contest. We will announce a winner later this summer, and her/his story will be published in issue IX.4.

In the meantime, I am also working on this year’s Ancient Warfare Special. I will reveal more about it in the not-too-distant future, but it will be another hardcover book similar to Edge of Empire (2012) and my own Henchmen of Ares (2013). I don’t think I will be revealing too much when I add that it will be a volume of collected essays by more than a dozen authors on a particular theme that, I think, readers of Ancient Warfare will enjoy.

Then, of course, there’s the Art of Ancient Warfare book that we will also be working on. It will feature a selection of some of the finest illustrations to have graced fifty issues of Ancient Warfare. Kickstarter backers who pledged a certain minimum amount may choose to get the book together with the first issue of Ancient History Magazine towards the end of this year (October/November, depending on how long the mail does to deliver a package to your doorstep). Those who didn’t support the Kickstarter ought not to despair, though: the book will also be made available on our webshop in 2016.

So there’s plenty to look forward to this year, but also next year: Ancient Warfare issue IX.1 (fall of Rome) was published recently and I’m presently working on polishing off issue IX.2 (the Theban ascendancy). That means that it’s also time to start thinking about themes for volume X. As usual, the first issue of volume X has already been determined. It will deal with the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), which saw Athens and Sparta (and their respective allies) at loggerheads with each other.

The themes for the other five issues need to be determined. As always, a volume of Ancient Warfare consists of two Roman issues (one early, one late), two Greek (one Archaic/Classical, one Hellenistic), one non-Greco-Roman theme (e.g. ancient Egypt, ancient Anatolia), and one general issue (e.g. logistics, victory and defeat). Since the Peloponnesian War takes care of the Archaic/Classical Greek issue, I’m looking for theme suggestions for the remaining Hellenistic issue, the Roman issues, and the non-Greco-Roman and general issue.

Feel free to send me your suggestions for themes for volume X. The deadline is 1 June. I will then collect all the themes and you will have the chance, in June, to vote for your favourite themes. Thanks!