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The death of Pompey, a tragic end to an impressive life, 18th century painting by unknown artist Source: Public Domain

Is the Famous Roman Leader Pompey History’s Biggest Loser?

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, or Pompey for short, was a high-profile politician and military leader during the Roman Empire’s fall from grace. Pompey had an incredibly successful career until his...
Gen. Santa Anna's prosthetic leg remains on display at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield. (Lane Christiansen / Chicago Tribune)

Full Military Honors: Why Did General Santa Anna Bury His Leg?

Antonio López de Santa Anna was a controversial yet highly influential general who had earned the title of the “ Napoleon of the West.” The period in which he lived was also sometimes referred to as...
The Blind Bohemian General: Czech Hero Jan Zizka and the Hussite Wars

The Blind Bohemian General: Czech Hero Jan Zizka and the Hussite Wars

Jan Zizka is best remembered for his involvement in the Hussite Wars, during which he became the leader of the Taborites. A Bohemian general, who lived between the 14 th and 15 th centuries, Zizka...
The Life Of Lysimachus, The Elite Bodyguard Of Alexander The Great

The Life Of Lysimachus, The Elite Bodyguard Of Alexander The Great

Alexander the Great is without a doubt one of history’s greatest and most famous figures. His deeds and the enormity of the empire he created were certainly a hard achievement to surpass. However,...
Alcibiades: The Shrewd Athenian Opportunist Of The Peloponnesian War

Alcibiades: The Shrewd Athenian Opportunist Of The Peloponnesian War

The famous city states of ancient Greece were filled with capable leaders, statesmen, generals, and heroes. Athens, one of the world’s oldest named and inhabited cities, became the leading city state...
Portrait of General Charles Etienne Gudin (1839) by Georges Rouget (Public Domain) and the skeletal remains which are believed to belong to the General. (Pierre Malinowski)

Grave of Napoleon’s Favorite General, With Blown Off Leg, Found!

A 200-year-old mystery, dating from Napoleon’s invasion of Russia, may have been solved. Researchers believe that they have finally found the remains in Smolensk of one of Napoleon’s favorite...
Statue of Sun Tzu in Yurihama, Tottori, in Japan.

Sun Tzu: Famous Chinese Strategist and Philosopher

“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.” General Sun Tzu...
A Mongol warrior. Although Jebe started out as an enemy of the Mongols, he eventually became on the Genghis Khan’s most trusted generals.

Jebe: Genghis Khan’s Would-be Assassin Becomes His Sharpshooting General

Jebe was a prominent Mongolian general who served under Genghis Khan. He was a converted enemy soldier who lucked out after shooting an arrow at the infamous Khan during battle. In a strange turn of...
Two people portrayed on the walls of the ancient Egyptian general’s tomb.

Immense Tomb Provides a Fascinating Peek at the Life of High Steward of Ramesses II

Saqqara has given Egyptologists a wealth of knowledge on life and death in ancient Egypt. Recently, it has provided information on Queen Ankhnespepy II , King Tut’s Wet Nurse , and a royal messenger...
Statue of Roman Soldier (Public Domain), and Roman Cavalry Reenactment  (CodrinB/CC BY-SA 3.0); Deriv.

Rome’s Forgotten General: Ventidius Takes Enemy Heads and Enemy Gold – Part II

With the Amanus Pass secured, Roman general Publius Ventidius Bassus, on the mission given by Antony to retake Asia-Minor, pushed south into Syria. Prince Pacorus of Parthia of was done fighting, at...
Statue of Roman Soldier (Public Domain), and recreators of Roman legionaries wearing the lorica segmentata, 1st-3rd century

Rome’s Forgotten General: Upstart Poor Boy Becomes Military Conqueror – Part I

In the spring of 40 BCE, the Parthians, led by Quintus Labienus, a Roman general who was supported the Liberators (consisting of Brutus and Cassius, who participated in the assassination of Caesar),...
"The Charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman", by Richard C. Woodville

Swords Versus Machine Guns: The Lopsided Battle of Omdurman — Part I

Victorian imperialism reached its apex on 2 September 1898, when the modern British army faced off against an army of poorly equipped Islamic fundamentalists known as Mahdists, and the battle would...
8 Immortals in a temple in Vietnam

The 8 Immortals of China: How ordinary mortals worked hard to achieve superpowers and become legendary

The general appearances of Chinese gods lead us to think of them as sober imperial bureaucrats. They mostly look like middle-aged men dressed in official-looking robes, spending their time reading...
Detail of ‘Caius Marius Amid the Ruins of Carthage’ (1807) by John Vanderlyn.

Gaius Marius was the Savior of Ancient Rome, but was he a Hero or Villain?

Gaius Marius was easily one of the Roman Republic’s most accomplished men. He was a beloved general, influential military reformer, and a massively successful politician; but later in his career, he...
Hannibal Barca (by Sébastien Slodtz) and Battle of Zama, 202 BC

Inside the Mind of Hannibal: What Caused Him to Become Rome’s Most Hated Man?

Watching your father’s brave, heroic and selfless act in order to preserve your own life must leave a permanent mark. They were fearsome and powerful Vetton warriors, and when they saw his father’s...
Replica of the Sarcophagus of Scipio Barbatus at the Scipios Tomb.

Hannibal’s Conqueror Brings Everlasting Glory to the Scipios Family Tomb

A monument created for one man stands in the heart of Rome, but it became an eternal house for his entire family. The remarkable construction conceals the secrets of generations of people whose fame...
Fascinating Figurines Accompanied a Chinese General and his Princess Wife to the Afterlife

Fascinating Figurines Accompanied a Chinese General and his Princess Wife to the Afterlife

Over 100 grave goods accompanied a Chinese general and his princess wife to the afterlife. The elite couple were buried in 564 with a collection of figurines. Their double burial likely had some...
Changes in Guerrero

Gonzalo Guerrero: Father of the First Mestizos and Army Captain of the Mayans

Gonzalo Guerrero (known also as Gonzalo Marinero, Gonzalo de Aroca, and Gonzalo de Aroza) was a Spanish soldier who hoped to become a conquistador in the New World. Instead, he was captured by the...
Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. Prince of Wales museum, Mumbai.

Bajirao I – Prime Minister of the Maratha Empire and a Man of the Battlefield

Bajirao I was born on August 18, 1700. From April 27, 1720 until April 28, 1740 he served as Peshwa (Prime Minister) to the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shahu. Bajirao I was also known as Thorale Bajirao...
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa: Statesman, General, and Friend of Augustus

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was one of the most powerful and influential men who lived during the early days of the Roman Empire. Agrippa was a statesman, general, and most important of all, a close...
Artistic representation of the caryatids in the Amphipolis tomb.

Ancient Amphipolis Tomb was Commissioned by Alexander the Great for his Closest Friend and General, Hephaestion, New Evidence Shows

New evidence has emerged that the massive underground tomb in Amphipolis, Greece, which was hailed last year as the archaeological discovery of the decade, was commissioned by Alexander the Great for...
Bélisaire, depicting Belisarius as a blind beggar.

Belisarius: Powerful General of the Byzantine Empire

Flavius Belisarius was a Byzantine general who lived during the 6th century AD. He is often regarded as one of the greatest generals of the Byzantine Empire . Additionally, he is one of the...
Social Networking in Ancient Times

Social Networking in Ancient Times

Of course there was no internet back then … but the intrinsic need of humans for socializing was active back in 13 th Century in different forms. After studying ceramic and obsidian artefacts from...
Early Humans Footprints

Early humans probably walked in a different way

In a recent research at the University of Liverpool in the UK publishes in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, Karl Bates and a team of researchers have analysed how a footprint is associated...

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