In Shelley’s famous poem Ozymandias, a broken statue lies in the empty desert, its pedestal hollowly boasting, “My name is Ozymandias, king of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” The conquerors on this list boasted that they had “all the lands at [my] feet” or promised to make “Egypt taste the taste…
Category: Ancient Military History
Ancient History: 10 Little Known Facts About The Anglo-Saxons
It can be argued that no people are more important in English history than the Anglo-Saxons. This loose confederation of Germanic tribes not only gave Britain its language, but also its first and most enduring literary hero—the Geat warrior-king Beowulf. The Anglo-Saxons also bequeathed a culture of dispersed power and widespread liberty, which is still evident…
Military History: 10 Amazing Military Deception Operations
Deception operations have been employed in warfare throughout history, with the earliest mentions being in works like Virgil’s Aeneid describing the Trojan Horse during the Trojan War. The Greeks invented smokescreens for use during the Peloponnesian War, and there are countless other examples of deception tactics that have both worked and failed. This list comprises…
Armed Citizen Corner: Train Like A Samurai…10 Arrows
Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Imperfect practice makes rehearsed. You’ve heard a lot of advice on different training philosophies – ways to maximize the results you achieve. The fact is, desultory training (grunts: desultory) is a waste of time, ammunition and money. It may get you killed. Read this and pay attention….
Ancient Military History: The Romans Secret “Terror Weapon”
Archeologists have unearthed a set of Roman lead sling bullets which were used against the barbarian foes in Scotland. The bullets were found to make a piercing whistle noise when hurled through the air, a sound thought to have been used to strike terror in their enemies 1,800 years ago. According to an article…
Crusader Corner: 7 Myths of the Crusades
Spearheaded by the likes of Obama. Editor’s note: The following book review of Seven Myths of the Crusades by Alfred J. Andrea and Andrew Holt, eds., first appeared in the Summer 2016 issue of the Middle East Quarterly and was written by Raymond Ibrahim, a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. As the editors make…
Bad-Ass Files: Virathus, One Of The First Guerilla Fighters
So I was watching this series on the History Channel the other night called Barbarians Rising and the first episode was about Hannibal and Virathus. The Hannibal story was good, but I knew about most of it already, Having read more than a few books on Hannibal, including The Ghost of Cannae, which I highly recommend…..
Military History: 10 Amazing Military Underdog Stories
Underdogs have a special place in the hearts of many, whether it’s the upstart Celtic Iceni tribe led by Boudicca revolting against the Romans or the ice-veined Spartans fighting in one of history’s greatest last stands against the Persians at Thermopylae. Either through superior tactics or more technologically advanced weaponry, the outnumbered often achieve some…
Military History: 10 Misconceptions About Famous Historical Wars and Armies
Wars and the armies that fight them are one of the most fascinating subjects to the human race. Conquest has shaped and reshaped the globe many times, and great wars will continue to alter the future course of humanity. However, while humanity loves to study and learn about wars, many of the most accepted facts…
Ancient Warfare: 11 Rome Sacking Facts About the Original Goths
May 22 is World Goth Day, an occasion minted in 2009 when BBC 6 dedicated the day to goth rock. It has since become a happening in clubs across Europe, the Americas, Australia, and South Africa. To celebrate, we’ve compiled 11 facts about the original Goths—and we don’t mean Bauhaus. Here are some things you…