Ancient Warfare Podcast

Ancient sources claim that pigs were sometimes used as weapons against war elephants. Murray examines the origins of this idea, whether it ever occurred, and the famous story associated with Antigonus II Gonatas at the siege of Megara. Did armies really set pigs on fire to panic war elephants? What evidence do we have for this practice? Was it a routine tactic, or does the story survive primarily because of a single account by Antigonus II Gonatas of the siege of Megara?

Murray examines the sources behind these claims, what ancient writers say about animals used against elephants, and the reliability of these accounts.

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Listener question from TheSgruby: He asks, "How long were bronze helmets in use? Even after better materials appeared, they seem to have lasted a surprisingly long time as part of military equipment." Murray takes a look.

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On 10 January 49 BC, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River, a decision that would trigger civil war and reshape the Roman world. But what did this moment really mean, and how inevitable was the conflict that followed?

In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, the team explore the political and military background to Caesar's fateful decision. We look at the breakdown of relations between Caesar and Pompey, the pressures within the Roman Republic, and why compromise ultimately failed. Was Caesar forced into action, or did he deliberately choose war?

The discussion goes beyond the famous phrase and the dramatic image of a single river crossing. We examine the military realities Caesar faced, the loyalties of his legions, Pompey's strategic position, and how contemporaries understood the step Caesar had taken. Finally, we consider how the crossing of the Rubicon has been remembered, mythologised, and misunderstood ever since.

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Listener question from Andrew: While watching a video on the Second Persian Invasion, Andrew wondered why the Greeks didn't attack the Persian engineers as they built the massive pontoon bridge across the Hellespont. How was the bridge constructed and defended, and did the Greeks miss a real chance to destroy it? Murray explains.

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Listener question from @klappspatenkamikaze: After commenting on an earlier episode about cloaks in combat, they added, "Now I want to know more about signalling 😃." Murray is happy to oblige.

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Listener question from TheSgruby: How important were the Evocati in Roman political and military life? And when do they first – and last – appear in the historical record?

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In this episode of Ancient Warfare Answers, Murray Dahm tackles a question about Roman tactics. If the Romans deployed in three lines of infantry, each eight men deep, how did they avoid leaving their flanks exposed to an enemy who could form a single, wider line? Murray unpacks how the Roman system worked and why it proved so effective.

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"The second century begins with a great war of conquest, and ends with another civil war between pretenders to the throne. Between those two extremes, there were changes in equipment, the rise of career officers, and the introduction of campaigns fought with detachments, instead of uprooting the entire legion."

The team discuss the latest edition of the magazine issue 105, A Century of Warfare: The Roman army in the 2nd century AD.

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In this episode of Ancient Warfare Answers, Murray Dahm returns to the topic of dice in the ancient world. After a question about Greek and Roman dice and the game of Hazard, Murray explores other games played with dice and uncovers intriguing details about the Roman game of Alea — perhaps the one Julius Caesar referenced with his famous phrase "Alea iacta est." As always, the reality is more complex than it first seems.

In this episode of Ancient Warfare Answers, Murray Dahm tackles a listener question from Richard Azzalin. Did Greek and Roman soldiers ever fight while wearing their cloaks or chlamys? And did warriors sometimes go into battle barefoot? Murray looks at what the evidence tells us about these details of ancient warfare.

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Dominik asks: is the famous story of Hannibal and Scipio Africanus meeting to discuss history's greatest generals plausible? Murray Dahm examines the ancient accounts, the realities of elite travel in the ancient world, and whether such encounters between great commanders could have happened.

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With Christmas just around the corner, the Ancient Warfare team take a break from battles to share their top reading recommendations for the holidays. From newly released studies to timeless classics, Jasper, Murray, Mark, Lindsay, and Marc each choose books that any ancient warfare enthusiast would love to find under the tree.

Whether you're looking for inspiration for your own list or shopping for a fellow history buff, this episode is full of great ideas to keep you reading well into the new year.

Suggested BooksDecorated Roman Armour: From the Ages of the Kings to the Death of Justinian the Great Germanicus: The Magnificent Life and Mysterious Death of Rome's Most Popular General Inside the Roman Legions: The Soldier's Experience 264–107 BCE The War for Gaul: A New Translation Crossing the Pomerium: The Boundaries of Political, Religious, and Military Institutions from Caesar to Constantine Shadow Empires: An Alternative Imperial History Ancient Rome in Fifty Monuments Early Rome to 290 BC: The Beginnings of the City and the Rise of the Republic The African Emperor: The Life of Septimius Severus Weapons, Warriors and Battles of Ancient Iberia Caesarian Legionary vs Pompeian Legionary: Rome's Civil War 49–45 BC: 82 Roman Cavalry Tactics: 263 The Wars of Justinian I A Thousand Ships: A Gripping Feminist Retelling of the Trojan War The Children of Jocasta: A Viscerally Atmospheric Retelling of Greek Myth Hadrian's Wall Vindolanda

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A listener asks: without modern nutritionists or recovery plans, how did Caesar's legionnaires maintain the stamina to fight repeated battles, such as Bibracte and the Arar in 58 BC? Murray Dahm looks at training, diet, and discipline in Rome's legions, and how ancient soldiers sustained their fighting edge.

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A listener asks: with Greek and Roman soldiers well-armoured elsewhere, how did they protect the tops of their feet from injury? Murray Dahm explores what ancient sources and archaeology reveal about footwear, armour, and the realities of combat.

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A listener from Brisbane asks: how did the Greek hoplite phalanx maintain a cohesive front while advancing into battle over uneven terrain dotted with trees, bushes, and obstacles? Murray Dahm explains how ancient soldiers kept formation, reformed when disrupted, and adapted their tactics to the landscape.

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How do you get the right man to command your armies? Does he learn on the job, or from books, and what happens when something goes wrong?

In this episode, the team discusses issue 104, Who Put You in Charge? Commanding an Army in Antiquity.

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Augusto from Argentina asks: "How reliable is Polyaenus' account of the Persians using cats—or images of cats—against the Egyptians at Pelusium? Is there any truth to the story, or is it just legend?" Murray Dahm explores the evidence behind this curious tale.

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A listener on YouTube asks: "How much do we really know about the Bacaudae, and how important were they in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire?" Murray takes a closer look at these enigmatic rebels of Late Antiquity.

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In this episode, Murray Dahm revisits Alexander's encounter with scythed chariots and unpacks some of the practical and tactical issues surrounding their historical use. From wargaming figure ratios to the use of caltrops, shield-banging, and even Roman caligae, we explore how ancient armies may have neutralised these fearsome weapons.

Were chariots best used against cavalry or lighter infantry? Did ancient troops rely on noise and tight formations—or did they use more direct countermeasures? And finally, a listener asks: is there any evidence that chariot drivers dismounted before impact—or is that a modern myth?

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In this episode of Ancient Warfare Answers, Murray Dahm explores the link between the Korybantic and Kouretic dances and the ancient warrior tradition. Unlike the more familiar Pyrrhic dance—used as military training—these ritual performances were deeply spiritual, involving ecstatic movement, clashing weapons, and the warding of evil.

But could such rituals have shaped not just warrior identity, but also the tools of war themselves? Murray considers how spiritual beliefs may have influenced the way ancient cultures approached weapons, armour, and even materials like bronze and iron.

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In this episode, we explore the ultimate "time travel" question: if you could witness any battle in history, which one would you choose?

We focus on a handful of iconic clashes, including Pharsalus, where Pompey surrendered unexpectedly, and Actium, exploring the real plan behind Antinous' manoeuvres. We also dive into the Teutoburg Forest, one of Rome's most devastating defeats, and consider what makes a battle truly unforgettable.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray tackles a question from Jörn: How different are an ancient Greek city-state's hoplite phalanx and a Germanic shield wall? While separated by centuries and culture, both formations relied on close-order infantry and cohesion.

Murray explores their tactical similarities and differences, the contexts in which they developed, and what each reveals about the societies that used them.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray answers a question from Marc about the actual size of ancient military units. Modern sources often quote full-strength numbers for legions and cohorts, but were ancient armies ever truly at full capacity?

Drawing on evidence such as the Vindolanda tablets, Murray discusses how understrength units may have been the norm, and whether modern historians should reconsider the numbers they often cite.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray answers a listener's question about games of chance in the ancient world. Did soldiers pass the time with dice games or gambling, much like those in more recent conflicts? Drawing on historical sources and archaeological finds, Murray explores what kinds of games ancient soldiers played, how widespread gambling may have been, and what these pastimes reveal about life in the ranks during times of war and peace.

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'With the emergence of the first city-states came the first cases of organised warfare and campaigns of conquest, as well as developments in arms and armour.'

In this episode, the team discusses issue 103, Battles of the Bronze Age: Unravelling the Origins of Warfare.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray answers a question from @tadejtomic1943: Why and when did the distinctions between Hastati, Principes, and Triarii disappear from the Roman Republican army? He explores the evolution of Roman military organisation, the reasons behind the shift away from this tripartite structure, and what replaced it as Rome's army adapted to new challenges.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray answers a question inspired by Finis Britanniae: Were Roman military commands permanent structures, or more ad hoc arrangements that changed with the situation? Drawing comparisons to modern military organisation, Murray examines what the ancient sources tell us about how Roman armies were structured and led in times of shifting security demands.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Murray tackles a listener question from @tadejtomic1943: When did the classical Greek hoplite cease to exist? Drawing on historical sources and archaeological evidence, Murray explores how and when the iconic heavily armed infantryman faded from use—and what replaced him in the evolving landscape of ancient warfare.

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We're between issues of Ancient Warfare magazine, so in this episode the team takes the opportunity to discuss some of the major controversies in Roman warfare.

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In this episode, Murray tackles a thoughtful listener question: were heavy, armoured troops consistently more effective than missile-armed light troops? Our listener reflects that European armies rarely seem to have been decimated by light forces—Carrhae being a rare exception—and wonders whether this is an accurate memory. Why did Persians, for instance, favour missile troops, and why didn't this overwhelm Macedonian forces despite showers of arrows, slings, and javelins?

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In this episode, Murray takes on a question that's been asked before — but this time, he's invited to share his personal opinion:

"OK... so it's been asked before in a general sense and the official answer is... we don't know! But Murray... in your own opinion, what's your best guess as to why slingers go away? Please speculate!"

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In this episode, Murray addresses a fascinating and complex listener question concerning the famous scythed chariots used at the Battle of Gaugamela:

"Dear Murray, I have a question on the scythed chariots at Gaugamela. I developed and played a wargame scenario on it, and these things have become a true enigma. The problem is the number of chariots, the frontage they could cover in relation to the phalanx, and how agile the phalanx would need to be to let them through harmlessly..."

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"From the simple cap to the most intricately-wrought and elaborately-decorated royal example, the humble helmet could do much more than just protect its bearer's head."

For this episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine podcast, the team discusses helmets in the Ancient World, issue 102 of the magazine.

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In this episode, Murray tackles a listener question sent in by postcard from Damien in Tasmania:

"Hi Murray, I love the magazine and the podcasts. My question is: Is there any evidence for a standard padded garment, worn under armour, in non-Roman armies (the equivalent of a subarmalis)? Or may it be assumed to be an individual choice? Cheers, Damien."

Murray explores the evidence—or lack of it—for padded under-armour garments across various ancient armies outside of the Roman world.

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In this episode, Murray Dahm tackles a listener question about the best translators for classical texts like Herodotus's Histories. Are modern versions better? What's the deal with Penguin's Aubrey de Sélincourt vs. Tom Holland's more recent take?

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Matt from North Carolina writes 'Can you explain and describe what an oblique phalanx is and how it was used in war by Alexander the Great?'

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Ralph Kirby challenges Murray with an intriguing question: could the Polybolas be considered the least influential weapon on the ancient battlefield? Used by both the Successor Macedonian states and Rome, Kirby argues that the Polybolas might have even replaced the Scorpio as a legionary siege weapon.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine Podcast, the team explores groundbreaking archaeological discoveries from 2025 that are reshaping our understanding of ancient conflicts. From mass graves to reinterpreted royal tombs, these finds illuminate the strategies, societies, and struggles of the past.

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In more modern battles, small farm compounds like La Haye Sainte and Hougoumont played pivotal roles in the fighting. But in ancient warfare, we rarely see small villas or farmsteads having a similar impact on battles. Why is that? Were these features less significant in ancient combat, or are there examples where small built-up areas shaped the course of battle? Join Murray Dahm as he tackles this intriguing question on Ancient Warfare Answers!

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Long-time listener Uygar sent this in. "why did ancient armies, especially Greek phalanx-heavy ones, have relatively few ranged units like archers and slingers compared to line infantry? How did an ancient army determine the right number of ranged units for their army? And did the ranged units fight in a scattered manner in between the formations of the heavier line infantry rather than in rigid formations?'

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'I was curious as to how exactly the scouting process worked in ancient armies, although I'm sure it varied widely throughout different cultures and time periods. Additionally, was there every a commonly accepted type of soldier selected for scouting, or did ancient commanders simply send whoever was available? Thanks to Demetri for this question.

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, Marc De Santis talks to historian and author Lindsay Powell about his latest book, Tiberius: From Masterly Commander to Masterful Emperor of Rome, published by Pen and Sword. Often overshadowed by his predecessor Augustus and his notorious successor Caligula, Tiberius is one of Rome's most enigmatic emperors. Lindsay delves into the life and reign of this complex figure—his military career, political challenges, and strained relationships within the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

Was Tiberius truly the brooding recluse history remembers, or have we misunderstood the man who ruled the Roman Empire for over two decades?

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What would be your ideal ancient military? Would it be a semi-nomadic people with skilled cavalry and infantry, and how would you structure this military? Murray gives us his ideas and explains what his historical inspirations for this thought experiment are.

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Dylan Thomas, watching on YouTube, asked, 'I'm curious about the early life of Marcus Furius Camillus. He seems to pop up during the siege of Veii in Livy's work, with few mentions beforehand, and is then an important figure going forward. Are there any primary sources that recount his early life and career?

The man's a legend, easily one of the top ten Romans of all time, but there seem to be scant records of him.'

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"The Peloponnesian War had ripped up the existing alliances in Greece — over the next decades, the main city-states looked for ways to regain money, power, and win battles."

The team discuss the latest issue of the magazine City-States in an Arms Race: Greek innovation in the fourth century BC, issue 101.

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In the last episode, Murray expanded upon an article in the magazine in response to Chris's question. After recording that episode, Murray realised he had not answered the whole question.

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Chris sent this question for Murray, asking him to expand on one of his articles in the magazine.

'I recently read your article on the siege of Masada in Ancient Warfare magazine. I had a couple of questions regarding the assumptions made about the shortened timeline of the siege. Specifically, you mentioned two assumptions supporting the idea of a shorter siege. Could you provide more information or sources to support this hypothesis?

Additionally, I have a colleague who views Josephus's work with scepticism, considering him a collaborator whose writings might have served as Roman propaganda. Given this perspective, I wondered why there seems to be such heavy reliance on Josephus, especially considering the article's focus on Legion X Fretensis rather than Josephus's narrative.'

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Don Antonius sent this question: 'Was there an inspiring role of Elite Units in ancient armies? Do we have accounts of battles where elite units (not necessarily "veterans") like the Roman cataphracts, Carthage's sacred band etc. supposedly lifted the spirits to fight on or evidently change the odds?'

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Christopher asks, 'why didn't adversaries to Rome (especially on the Italian peninsula) see the methods by which Rome consistently recovered from defeat and tried to emulate them?'

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In the latest episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine podcast, Marc De Santis speaks with Murray Dahm about his new book, Roman Soldier vs Dacian Warrior: Dacian Wars AD 85–106.

The wars between Rome and Dacia were some of the most intense and strategically important conflicts of the early 2nd century AD. Fought during the reign of Emperor Domitian and later under Trajan, these battles saw the disciplined Roman legions face off against the determined warriors of Dacia. The struggle ended with Rome's annexation of Dacia, a victory commemorated on Trajan's Column in Rome.

Murray's new book, published by Osprey, examines the tactics, weaponry, and battlefield experiences of both Roman soldiers and their Dacian opponents. In this episode, he discusses the challenges faced by both sides, the effectiveness of Dacian weapons—such as the falx—and how Rome adapted its military approach to counter the threat.

Listen to the episode to learn more about one of Rome's toughest adversaries and the warfare that shaped the empire's northern frontier.

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This question came via a comment on an earlier podcast.

'Which type of armour did the legions under Caesar and Augustus use? I understand the lorica segmentata was adopted later, but was it used during Octavian's era?

Additionally, I've found references to three types of scuta (shields): the curved oval used by late Republican soldiers, a slightly curved rectangular version, and the iconic rectangular scutum seen in reliefs of Trajan and Aurelius. Could you clarify which types of shields were used during Augustus' later reign and the periods of Germanicus and Vespasian?'

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Shabbi poses this intriguing question,'how vulnerable were armies during the Bronze and Iron Ages to lightning strikes, whether on the battlefield or while marching, given their use of metal weapons, armour, and formations in open areas?

Could such vulnerability have influenced ancient religions, particularly the widespread belief in storm and lightning gods in various unconnected cultures (like Zeus, Thor, and Indra)? For example, could events like lightning strikes swaying the tide of battle (if such an event is plausible) explain why so many societies independently developed lightning-wielding deities?'

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These questions came via postcard from Michael in Boston.

'What really happened at the battle of Lugdunum (197 CE)? I've read that this battle might have been the largest in Roman history - do you agree?

I've also read that this battle lasted multiple days. How does that work? Did both sides retire at night and resume fighting in the morning, or was skirmishing constant throughout?'

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Two great questions here for Murray on the topic of usurpers.

'It seems Legio VII Gemina raised by Galba in AD 68 in Hispania is quite unique. In terms of being a creation by a usurper. Are there any other similar units raised usurpers and retained by victors? Also, what province Ancient Warfare crew consider the best in terms of starting usurpation/rise of the new Emperor?'

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'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.

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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.

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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?

'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.

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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?

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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?'

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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?'

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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?'

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JackSarge poses this question for Murray. What effect did the Hunnic invasions into Western Europe have on Britain? Did Attila send emissaries to Britain or make any demands of it?

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Founded in the war against Sextus Pompeius, the 'Legion of the Strait' spent most of its long history in the provinces of the Roman East with Parthians, Sasanians, and zealots.

For this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, the team discuss issue XVII.5 of the magazine, The Legion of the Strait: A History of Legio Fretensis.

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Another question from Miles, what defines heavy infantry in the ancient world? Were Phalangites considered heavy infantry at the time?

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Miles asks, what armour did Macedonian and late Hellenistic Phalangites wear? If they were initially equipped with lighter armour (e.g., linothorax), did they wear heavier metal armour at later points in history? If not, do we know why?

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At what point was Roman success inevitable during Rome's wars to conquer the rest of Italy through the 5th, 4th, and 3rd centuries BC? Murray gives us his thoughts.

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In the latest episode, the Ancient Warfare Podcast team discuss what they think was the most influential weapon in the Ancient World. From the iconic Roman gladius to the powerful composite bow, ancient weapons shaped the course of history in countless ways.

But which one stands out as the most influential?

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Carlos sent this question in for Murray to consider: "Besides elephants, what other units or ideas did the Hellenistic kingdoms adopt from the peoples of the lands they ruled? For example, did they have horse-archer units, etc.?"

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"In the Western empire, what was the last recorded Legion to take the field as a formed/cohesive unit? And the same question for the Eastern Empire."

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"Let's continue that theme [of lost legions]. How new imperial Legions were raised? Did other other legions provide cadres to train?" Murray continues the discussion.

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'Once the Persians had been defeated at Salamis and Plataea, they withdrew from the Greek mainland. But the war was far from over, and the Greeks went on the offensive.'

For this episode, the team discuss issue XVII.4 of the magazine Finally Finishing The Fight: The Greco-Persian Wars, part II.

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Thanks to Jamie for sending this in: "What was the first wargame? Did it really start at WATU, or are there examples of ancient generals playing games to practice for war, an ancient equivalent of a modern wargame?"

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John Asks: "Hi Murray and all, quick question for AWA (and sorry its not a post card) - Murray mentioned "The Last Kingdom" in the Finis Britanniae episode. My question is: How accurate do you feel Last Kingdom is in its overall theme and description of the period? (I guess that the simple colour schemes everyone wears are not the best example of accuracy). Murray shares his (somewhat rambling) thoughts.

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CliosPaintingBench asks "Would like to ask a question if possible: what do you think are the most visually distinct and impressive ancient warfare armies outside of the ones most audiences would know?" Oh, and Murray also adds a bit to the discussion on the fate of the ninth legion.

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Robert asks "I really enjoyed the article about the Hunnic Siege of Naissus. However, I had a question about the Hunnic siege engines described and illustrated in the article. They look like proto-trebuchets with mantlets to protect the crew, and instead of a counterweight or pulleys, the archer platform looks like primitive cherry picker trucks.

My question is why did the Huns construct these unique engines? Is there any evidence why or do scholars have any theories? Did they have insufficient resources to construct regular siege towers and catapults? Did the Huns want to bring their strength of arrow storms to bear? Or were the Huns just unique?"

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In this episode, the team turn their attention to the silver screen with a look at the newly released trailer for "Gladiator II." Join them as they explore this long-awaited sequel's historical inspirations, artistic choices, and potential accuracies and liberties.

John asks one of the big questions of Roman Imperial military history - what happened to the ninth legion (Legio IX Hispana). Murray presents his theory (and adds on the fate of the other lost legion too - the twenty-second Legio XXII Deiotariana)

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'When a Legion is transferred, is it sent en masse? and generally, were replacement troops put in place to assume the fortifications et al that the departing Legion would have left behind? and is it expected that a transferred legion would take over standard positions in their new territory? And are troops left behind to provide handovers to the incoming staff?'

There is a lot there for Murray to answer!

Greg wonders what really happened at the Battle of Panium in 200 BC, and how good a tactician was Antiochus III? Are there some books that you could recommend to me about this subject?

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"Over the course of its long history and expansion, Rome fought a range of peoples. Some were conquered, while others never were. A few would even return for revenge."

In the latest issue, the team discuss issue XVII.3 Rome's May Enemies: Threats from within and without.

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Jan asks what do we really know about ancient massed archery? How was it conducted? We may envision Hollywood-style showers of arrows raining down accurately on a target, but… how realistic is this?

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Euchale writes that he has recently watched a video by Farya Faraji on just how inaccurate a lot of modern "interpretations" of ancient music is. One of his pet peeves is the use of Armenian Duduks for anything vaguely Arabic. Euchale poses two questions to Murray, do you have pet peeve that every movie gets wrong about ancient warfare? And, have you ever researched anything in regard to ancient music in your area of expertise?

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College library director Darren is sponsoring a wargame involving a student tabletop game club (D&D, etc.) and a student history club. Darren writes to ask Murray what, in his opinion, would be the best ancient battle(s) for a group of 18 to 20-year-old students.

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In conversation with Ancient Warfare regular Marc DeSantis, Murray tells us about his new book Finis Britanniae: A Military History of Late Roman Britain and the Saxon Conquest.

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Dave Latham asked about the Kingdom of Soissons, and after a particularly deep rabbit hole, Murray has emerged to give you his musings.

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Mark asks, 'did any of the friendly client states (i.e. Thrace, Cappadocia, Mauretania etc) try to copy Roman legions in terms of equipment, organisation, tactics etc?'

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Thanks to Andy for sending this one in. 'I'm listening to SJA Turney's Marius' Mules. Over the first three books, he frequently references the medical support for the legions. How developed were the medics? Were their skills another advantage for the Romans ?'

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In a second question from his postcard, Gus asks, what was the difference between bronze and iron weapons and armour in terms of availability, hardness, temper and penetrating ability?

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'After two decades of war, Alexander's successors had found a delicate balance. When Ptolemy's wayward son managed to destabilize matters, the Celts grabbed their chance.'

The Ancient Warfare team discuss the latest issue of the magazine XVII.2 Invasion of the Celts: Brennus' Campaign into Greece.

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In a new Ancient Warfare Answers postcard, Gus asks Thureophoroi - what were they? (light troops/peltast replacements)and where did they originate?

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Aaron asks "On your comment about written battle accounts, were Empire era writings less common, lost to time, or were the generals less educated than Republic era generals?"

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In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine podcast, Murray and Jasper are joined by Stephen DeCasien to discuss rams on ships.

Stephen is a PhD candidate at Texas A&M University studying Nautical Archaeology. His academic interests are Greek and Roman maritime history and archaeology, with a special focus on naval warfare, naval rams, and warships.

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To celebrate the 300th episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast and Ancient Warfare Answers, Murray answers a curly one, what really happened at the battle of Marathon - Murray has forgotten who asked him this but is a 'big' question nonetheless!

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'A question for Murray, who or what made the decisions about where Roman army units were based or moved around the Empire? I am presuming if it were a vexillation from Hadrian's Wall to York, it would be a local commander's decision, but what if it was a cohort sent from York to Gaul, ie between adjacent provinces? Was that worked out by the military staff of the respective governors? And then what about legions moving from, say, Gaul to Syria for military reasons or even for civil engineering projects? Was there a general staff in Rome comprised of ex-field generals, gnarly old centurions and civil servants, or was it down to the Emperor/Senate (depending on the period) to plan it all?'

Thanks for that question Keith.

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Sara wonders how negotiations between different armies were practically arranged. For example, with Caesar in Gaul, several times he had some type of meetings with different groups. Such as the Helvetii before he had even established himself in Gaul. How was such a meeting arranged before and after a battle?

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Murray answers this question set in by Tim.

'I'm wondering why historians generally accept that Mons Graupius was indeed a great victory for Agricola. My understanding is that Tacitus' account is the only written evidence we have, and archaeology has turned up little physical evidence of the battle.

Is part of the reason that a great victory would have been too big a lie to pass off, so there must be some truth to the story? Or was it generally accepted for generals to make their victories more impressive so no one in Rome batted an eye at Tacitus' account?'

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Nathan wonders how the Praetorian Guard was structured. Was it used in traditional combat or taken on campaigns? While not directly related to ancient warfare, why did the emperors continually use the Praetorian Guard despite their history of treachery, intrigue, and assassination?

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'The time has come to take the fight to the enemy. How do you prepare? Can you rely on your guides, your allies, and your subordinates? Have you secured enough supplies?'

The Ancient Warfare Magazine team get together to discuss issue XVII.1 In the Land of the Enemy: The Challenges of Campaigning.

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