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Warfare
Battles, tactics, weapons, and commanders across the ancient world, from phalanxes and legions to sieges and naval wars, explained with context.
Peltasts: How Javelin Troops Defeated Spartan Hoplites
In 390 BCE, Iphicrates’ peltasts killed about 250 Spartan soldiers near Lechaeum. Xenophon explains how mobile javelin troops defeated unsupported hoplites.
Did Ancient Soldiers Have PTSD? The Debate Dividing Historians
Greek, Mesopotamian and Roman accounts reveal combat fear and distress. Historians disagree over whether any can establish an ancient case of PTSD.
Siege of Masada: Jewish Rebels’ Last Stand Against Rome
Rome captured Masada in 73 or 74 CE. Josephus described 960 deaths, but the siege works, skeletons and inscribed pottery leave the rebels’ final…
Did Japan Really Ban Guns After the Samurai Wars?
Japan tightly regulated guns after its civil wars, but samurai, hunters and villagers continued to use firearms throughout the Tokugawa period.
How the Crossbow Changed Medieval Warfare Forever
How medieval crossbows worked, why the Church condemned them, and what Richard I, Crécy and royal records reveal about their impact on warfare.
The Gallic Wars: How Julius Caesar Conquered Gaul, 58–50 BC
From the Helvetii and the Rhine to Vercingetorix at Alesia, follow Caesar’s conquest of Gaul, its brutal costs, and the Roman account that shaped…
Ancient Army Scouts: How Greek and Roman Armies Gathered Intelligence
Greek and Roman armies used scouts, informants and signals to track enemies. Caesar, Ammianus and Adrianople show how reports shaped battles.
Battle of Pharsalus: Caesar’s Victory Over Pompey
At Pharsalus in 48 BCE, Caesar defeated Pompey after a cavalry attack failed. Ancient accounts reveal the tactics, losses and disputed battlefield.
Greek Fire: Byzantium’s Weapon That Burned on Water
Greek fire was Byzantium’s naval incendiary, fired through ship-mounted siphons. Its lost recipe, famous battles and surviving evidence explained.
5 Viking Raids Recorded in Medieval Chronicles
Five Viking raids from Lindisfarne to Constantinople, 793 to 860, reveal what medieval chroniclers recorded and where the evidence is uncertain.
7 of the Bloodiest Battles and Sieges in Ancient History
Changping, Jerusalem and five more ancient disasters show why enormous battle death tolls survive, and why historians question them.
What Happened After Ancient Battles?
After ancient battles, victors collected weapons and prisoners while families struggled to recover the dead. Greek truces and archaeology show what followed.
