Ancient Warfare Podcast

When did the age of heroic warfare come to an end?
Hegel gets in touch after listening to episode AW417, 'The Evolution of Tactics', with a question about the changing nature of warfare in the ancient world. Was there a period when individual warriors and one-on-one combat were considered the ideal of warfare, and when did organised tactics begin to replace this heroic model?
The Iliad provides one of the best-known examples of heroic warfare, but how did later Classical Greeks view this tradition? Was tactical warfare regarded as less heroic, or even dishonourable? And what can the contrasting reputations of figures such as Odysseus, famed for his cunning and stratagems, and Ajax, celebrated for his strength and martial prowess, tell us about changing ideas of what made a great warrior?

What exactly was the difference between skirmishing and a pitched battle in the armies of classical and Hellenistic antiquity?
Long-time listener Uygar gets in touch with a question about the often overlooked role of skirmishing in ancient warfare. Were skirmishes simply small-scale battles between lightly armed troops, or did they serve a much more important purpose within a campaign?
Why did skirmishing generally produce fewer casualties than pitched battles? Did heavy infantry take part, and if not, was this one reason skirmishes were less decisive? And why could what might seem like a relatively minor skirmish have such a significant effect on morale?
 
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@martcorn asks, "I'd like to know whether there were any 'British' legions." I'm thinking of the famous Spanish legions like the tenth. Was there any equivalent?"
 
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Why does the Roman gladius have so little protection for the hand compared with many later swords?
In this episode, Murray answers a listener question about one of the most distinctive features of the Roman sword. Medieval swords often feature substantial guards designed to protect the hand, yet the gladius has only a relatively small guard. Why?
 
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Stratagems is the theme of the next issue of Ancient Warfare Magazine. The panel share their favourite stratagems from ancient warfare.
 
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