Ancient Warfare Podcast

The History Network
Ancient Warfare Podcast

Discussions from Ancient Warfare Magazine. Why did early civilisations fight? Who were their Generals? What was life like for the earliest soldiers? Ancient Warfare Magazine will try and answer these questions. Warfare minus two thousand years.

  1. Single Combat in Antiquity

    5 DAYS AGO

    Single Combat in Antiquity

    'For those trying to win wars in the ancient world, large armies were a necessity. However, the personal prestige earned from a victory in single combat was still unmatched.' In this episode, the AW team discuss issue XVII.6 Duels to the Death: Single Combat in Antiquity. Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    47 min
  2. Lambdas and ancient Greek shield devices

    3 JAN

    Lambdas and ancient Greek shield devices

    For the first episode of 2025, we have this from @mrookeward, who asks Murray to explore some of the tropes (or not tropes) for 'uniforms'. E.g. the Spartan lambda shield, or ancient Egyptian headwear.   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    13 min
  3. Legions and Foederati

    27/12/2024

    Legions and Foederati

    Murray answers four questions in just one episode sent in by David: 1. Were the legions largely (or even completely) replaced by the foederati by the seventh century CE? 2. What do we know about the ethnic makeup of the armies that fought for pagan Rome in the wars of the first centuries BCE and CE (largely legionaries from southern Europe?) compared to the armies that fought for Byzantine Rome in the seventh-century wars (largely “barbarians”?), including Heraclius’s reconquest of Jerusalem in 628 CE from the Persian Sassanid empire? 3. Do you have a view (either way) on the argument—made most compellingly by Tom Holland in his 2014 book, In the Shadow of the Sword—that the Byzantine Roman army of the early seventh century was made up largely of fighters from the southern Levant and northern Arabia (where the Ghassanids came from)? 4. Could Arab forces that formerly made up the Foederati have “declared independence” from Rome in the third decade of the seventh century and ultimately have conquered the Levant from the Romans in the 630s (before engaging in civil war among themselves and the descendants of the Lakhmids, who had fought on behalf of the Sassanid empire three decades later)? In other words, might Muhammad and his original followers all have been former Foederati, who turned against their former Eastern Roman clients, much like the Gothic barbarians did against their former Western Roman clients a couple centuries earlier?

    11 min
  4. Did ancient armies catapult corpses into enemy cities?

    20/12/2024

    Did ancient armies catapult corpses into enemy cities?

    'We’ve all heard of ancient armies catapulting corpses and manure over walls in sieges, but is the modern intuition that this was to promote illness in those cities correct? Are there any primary sources that describe flinging corpses in order to make the defenders sick, or was it more likely just out of convivence for the attackers?' Thanks Thomas for sending that in. Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    10 min
  5. AW335 - Gladiator II

    13/12/2024

    AW335 - Gladiator II

    With the release of Ridley Scott's Gladiator II, the Ancient Warfare team have headed off to their local cinemas (well, almost all of the team) for a screening. Will this be as influential on future historians as the original Gladiator movie?   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    47 min
  6. Were the reasons for war in ancient times any different to the modern era?

    06/12/2024

    Were the reasons for war in ancient times any different to the modern era?

    Murray gives his thoughts on this question sent in by Paul, 'were the reasons for war in ancient times any different to the modern era?'   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    8 min
  7. Was there ever king versus king single combat?

    29/11/2024

    Was there ever king versus king single combat?

    Jason sent this in for Murry to muse over, 'a lot of old action war movies set in ancient times have two champions or the two kings from both sides meeting in combat as their armies watch on before the battle starts. Has there ever been any historical battles where two men have fought like this, or is it purely fiction? If it is fiction, are there any good stories of two champions or kings meeting in battle?'   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    11 min
  8. Why were there no invasions of Macedonia or Greece while Alexander was in Asia?

    22/11/2024

    Why were there no invasions of Macedonia or Greece while Alexander was in Asia?

    Thanks to Valentine for sending this in. 'I have finished rereading your excellent article, “Men you can Trust,” in Volume 16, Issue 6 of Ancient Warfare. A question arose in my mind that you may be able to answer. With the bulk of Alexander’s army in Asia, and especially India, why did no foreign invader seek to take advantage of the situation by invading parts of Macedonia?'   Join us on Patron patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

    11 min
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About

Discussions from Ancient Warfare Magazine. Why did early civilisations fight? Who were their Generals? What was life like for the earliest soldiers? Ancient Warfare Magazine will try and answer these questions. Warfare minus two thousand years.

Information

  • Creator
    The History Network
  • Years Active
    2008 - 2025
  • Episodes
    340
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©TheHistoryNetwork.org
  • Show Website
    Ancient Warfare Podcast

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