Tough Decisions in the face of Cyrus the Great Pactyes was a Lydian in charge of the civil administration of government in Sardis, present-day Turkey. How much can we trust Herodotus to tell the whole story? Nevertheless, this is one of the difficult decisions made in the face of overwhelming power. Pactyes journeyed throughout ancient…
All posts tagged Ancient
Rome, Carthage, and a few Punic War Hypotheticals
What if things had turned out slightly different? Could Hannibal have secured victory? During two successive wars, it is likely that Rome’s victories were unavoidable. Carthage was predominantly unable to overcome Roman military power due to its inability to comprehend Roman resolve. During the first war, it was unfathomable at the onset to see Rome as…
Is There a Western Way of War?
In this article I introduce the debate over a Western Way of War and some of the key works that have driven the discussion. In twin books, The Western Way of War: Infantry Battle in Classical Greece and Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power the eminent historian Victor Davis Hanson argued that that several…
Macedonian Combined Arms Warfare
This is an adaptation of one of the first undergraduate papers I ever wrote, enjoy! The Macedonian army exhibited a tactical brilliance that set a precedent in the employment of concentrated force. Their tactics represent the culmination of centuries of Greek warfare. Before the reforms of Philip, warfare in the region was two city-states pitting…