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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
Oliver Cromwell was an English military leader and politician who lived during the 17th century. He is best-remembered for serving as the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland , and...
The knight is arguably one of the most iconic figures of the Middle Ages. Knights were essentially mounted warriors, and in the hierarchy of medieval society , were considered to be part of the lower...