Ancient Warfare Podcast

We're between issues of the magazine once again, so Mark suggested that we take the opportunity to discuss victory monuments and architecture in the ancient world.

From triumphal arches and commemorative columns to temples, statues and monumental inscriptions, how did ancient societies celebrate their victories? What messages were these structures intended to convey, who commissioned them, and how did they shape the way military success was remembered? We'll look at how victory was represented in stone, and what these monuments can tell us about power, politics and the societies that built them.

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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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What happened to the Dacians after Trajan's conquest of Dacia, and did some of them really end up serving in Roman Britain?

In this episode, Murray answers a listener question about the Dacian presence in Britain. Following Trajan's conquest of Dacia in AD 106, Dacian soldiers were recruited into the Roman auxiliary forces, and some Dacian units were subsequently stationed on the fringes of the Empire, including in Britain.

But what can the evidence tell us about these soldiers?

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Roman legionaries of the late Republic and early Principate are often depicted wearing chain mail, but just how was enough armour produced to equip the vast armies of Rome?

In this episode, Murray tackles a listener question about the manufacture and supply of Roman armour. Chain mail was extremely labour intensive to produce, so where were the workshops that made it, and who were the craftsmen responsible for supplying the legions?

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Jon asks "Hi Murray! Regarding command and control of units during battle through trumpets, drums and similar methods of audible communication, a question I've often wondered is if there are any instances in the historical record of: 1. Employing a form of COMINT by 'intercepting' (hearing) the enemy communications, and using that information to alter your forces actions? Were there any attempts to keep the signals secret, or change them to avoid this? 2. Employing a form of military deception by issuing false or confusing signals mimicking the enemy signals (sounding the enemy's retreat or halt signals for example) 3. If "Jamming" was possible by attempting to drown out the horns/drums by making even more noise; And lastly 4: If there was any targeting of enemy C2 by deliberately seeking to use ranged weapons surgically against signallers? Thanks so much for answering the last question too, hopefully I'll get around to that post card one day! Cheers, J"

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Murray chats with Robert L. O'Connell about his new book 'Band on the Run' from Simon & Schuster (2026), which explores the March of the 10,000 and Xenophon's Anabasis.

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