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Military

Representational image of Roman Emperor Maximinus Thrax. Source: JUSTIN / Adobe Stock

Maximinus Thrax's Turbulent Rule: Rome's Unsuccessful Giant Soldier-Emperor

The history of the vast and powerful Roman Empire was defined by its many rulers. After all, talented emperors were responsible for maintaining that venerable and very complex social machine. However...
The Mesopotamian military represented here used weapons of war to achieve great success. Source: WILD HARE/Adobe Stock

Mesopotamian Military Mastery - The Ancient Reinvention of Warfare

Creating a great empire in ancient times was no simple task, and it usually involved a lot of warfare. Ancient Mesopotamia, called by many the cradle of civilization, was also the cradle of organized...
Serbian coal miners found the remains of a Roman ship that likely supplied an ancient frontier city and military headquarters. Source: Institute of Archaeology, Belgrade

42-Foot Roman Ship Unearthed in Serbian Mine, Part of an Ancient River Fleet!

The ancient woodwork of a Roman ship, likely part of an ancient river fleet from the 3rd or 4th century AD, has been accidentally uncovered by the Drmno coal miners in Serbia. The hull measures 42...
Antique Chinese matchlock gun. Source: W.Scott McGill / Adobe Stock.

From Matchlocks to Bolt-Actions: The Evolution of Firearms (Video)

The evolution of firearms technology from the 16th century to World War II witnessed significant advancements in design, efficiency, and firepower. One of the earliest firearms, the 16th-century...
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...
Syphilis infections surging through the military had an enormous impact in numerous wars. Source: 4k_Heaven / Adobe Stock

Syphilis: The STD that Won and Lost Wars

In 1494, King Charles VIII of France launched an all-out war against the republics of the Italian peninsula, a watershed moment in history. Within months, 50,000 soldiers from his army had fled, not...
The Greek bathhouse found in Berenice, Egypt may have been a center for rest and relaxation for the Egyptian military.  Pictured: 1858 painting by Fyodor Bronnikov                      Source: Public Domain

Ancient Greek-Style Bathhouse for Egyptian Military Found near Red Sea

Ancient Egyptians are renowned for their sense of cleanliness and hygiene, and bathhouses for therapeutic purposes have been found dating as far back as 2000 BC. In a brand-new discovery,...
Roman centurions like this were the backbone of the Roman army. Source: Fernando Cortés / Adobe Stock

Roman Centurions: Elite Forces of the Roman Empire’s Military

The ancient world had some impressive military forces. For example, Egypt was famed for its chariots and Greece for its navy. The Romans? They were famous for their foot troops, the legionaries. Yet...
Left: Barbary apes can are intelligent, nimble, and can get pretty angry. But were they used as military monkeys in ancient times? Right: It’s not unheard of for monkeys to have thoughtful burials. Shown: An Indian monkey buried like a child in Egypt. Source: Left: Peter Mazlan / Adobe Stock, Right: Marta Osypińska / Science in Poland

Ancient Monkey Soldiers? Romans Buried Barbary Ape with Military Offerings

Militaries from many countries past and present have used animals in their work. Whether using horses to carry men, or dogs to track and patrol, the use of animals has been significant throughout...
Representation of ancient Egyptian military unit going to battle.        Source: Acrogame / Adobe Stock

Ancient Egyptian Military: Fiercest Fighting Force of the Ancient World

One of the key reasons that the study of history is vital is to ensure we learn from our past mistakes in order to improve. While this is true in all aspects of life, it is especially true for...
Field archaeologist Michael Gibbons, left, discovered the outlines of this gigantic Bronze Age fortress, partially visible in the background of this image, which may be nearly 3,200 years old, while carrying out routine field work in a nature preserve in County Galway, Ireland.	Source: YouTube screenshot / RTE News

Huge New Bronze Age Fortress Discovered in Irish Nature Preserve!

While carrying out routine field work in the Burren lowlands of County Galway in Ireland, field archaeologist Michael Gibbons discovered a Bronze Age fortress that may be almost 3,200 years old. The...
Greek hoplite in armor and with weapons and shield. Source: anibal / Adobe Stock

Soldiers of Bronze: The Greek Hoplite, the Phalanx, and the Battle that Defined Them

Hoplite comes from the Greek word “ ta hopla ,” which means “tool” or “equipment,” and was the name given to legions of citizen soldiers who were tasked with protecting their territories from outside...
In the famous Eighty Years' War or Dutch War of Independence, ice skates played a crucial role in the final outcome between Spain and the Netherlands that also led to the end of the notorious Spanish Inquisition. Blades of ice skates, made by the German company "Kondor," from about 1890. 		Source: Christos Vittoratos / CC BY-SA 4.0

Battles on Ice Skates in the 1500s: The Dutch Against The Spanish!

When you think of Spain, you don’t normally think of ice skates. Yet, that’s exactly what the King of Spain wanted back in 1572. And it wasn’t just a single pair; the king specifically requested 7,...
The Swiss pikemen today in a Pike Square re-enactment during the 2009 Escalade in Geneva. 		Source: Rama / CC BY-SA 2.0 FR

The Swiss Pikemen: Europe’s Most Deadly Middle Age Military Formation!

The medieval pike, around 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) in weight and just under 5 meters (16.4 feet) in length, was a weapon supposedly invented in Turin, Italy in 1327 AD. However, its history was...
A painting of the Antonine plague, by painter Joseph Wannenmacher, which was the beginning of the end for the western Roman Empire.		Source: ChrisSchweigi / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Antonine Plague and the Downfall of the Roman Empire

The Antonine plague, which happened between 165 and 180 AD, was a disastrous pandemic deemed so catastrophic that many historians have argued that it was the first major event to usher in the decline...
The legendary Silver Shields of Alexander the Great went on to serve Eumenes as the house of Argead battled the Macedonian forces of Antigonus but in the end family trumped loyalty.		Source: Honga

Silver Shields: Alexander's Crack Troops Who Betrayed Their New Master

Could a ragtag team of elite troops in their later years, and a bureaucrat-turn-general take on the military powerhouse of the day? Eumenes, the Greek general, was tasked by Olympias (Alexander’s...
The bronze plate pieces of the Roman military diploma found in the ancient Anatolian city of Perre or modern-day Adiyaman, Turkey. Source: Anadolu Agency

1,898-year-old Roman Military Diploma Gives Citizenship Rights

Archaeologists have found an ancient Roman military diploma dating to 123 AD in Turkey’s ancient city of Perre (modern day Adiyaman). The latest round of excavations, which have been carried out...
The battle of Wadi al-Khazandar in 1299, depicting Mongol archers and the Mamluk cavalry.		Source: Public domain

A Brief Overview of the Mamluks, the Elite Slave-Soldiers of the Islamic World

It is a sad fact that our ancient history was filled with slavery and injustice of all kinds. Great empires and powerful rulers often relied on their slave forces both for building of cities and for...
A Turkish archaeologist holding up the 1800-year-old iron Roman cavalry mask found at the ancient garrison town of Hadrianopolis, Turkey.		Source: YouTube screenshot / DHA

Rare Iron Roman Cavalry Face Mask Discovered At Hadrianopolis, Turkey

An 1,800 year old Roman soldier's cavalry face mask has been discovered at a 3rd century AD military site in Turkey. But this site isn’t located in the heart of the Roman empire, but at a far flung...
Is this ancient military technology or the future? Given how the evolution of technology unfolded it is likely a combination of both. 		Source: Dusan Kostic / Adobe

Huge Study Tracks The Global Evolution of Ancient Military Technology

An international team of researchers has published a paper that sheds new light on how ancient military technology and the weapons industry changed through time. Their ancient military technology...
Greek ceramics recently discovered in the Nile Delta at the legendary Thonis-Heracleion site, just off the coast from Alexandria, Egypt. Source: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Underwater Military Ship and Burials Found at Thonis-Heracleion, Egypt

The island-city of Thonis-Heracleion and its famous Temple of Amun was located in Egypt’s Abu Qir Bay, just north of Alexandria, Egypt. Greeks later settled in Thonis-Heracleion during the late...
New Section Of Famous Roman Road ‘Via Domitia’ Discovered In France

New Section Of Famous Roman Road ‘Via Domitia’ Discovered In France

Archaeologists at the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) have discovered a new portion of the Via Domitia (Domitian Way), the ancient Roman road that once linked...
The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!

The Sacred Band of Thebes: Elite Fighters… and Lovers!

The Sacred Band of Thebes was an elite fighting unit consisting of 300 Theban soldiers who were not only warriors but coupled lovers as well. According to the scholar Plutarch, the creation of the...
This photo shows one particular body where the head has been lopped off and placed at the feet of the victim found at the Roman burial site, Somersham, UK.

Extraordinarily High Number of Roman Decapitations at UK Burial Site

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that the Roman Empire was a vast intercontinental territory. By 117 AD, it included all of Italy, the entire Mediterranean, and much of Europe, including England, Wales...

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