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PODCAST

Ancient Warfare Podcast

The History Network

Discussions from Ancient Warfare Magazine. Why did early civilisations fight? Who were their Generals? What was life like for the earliest soldiers? Ancient Warfare Magazine will try and answer these questions. Warfare minus two thousand years.

history

All Episodes

09:40

AWA405 - We got a fan letter!

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/04/17

James from California has taken the time to write a fan letter to Ancient Warfare Answers! This is much appreciated! Murray muses over James' letter (which was into response to the die is cast but, as always, leads down much more widespread paths. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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45:15

AW404 - The Marian Reforms

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/04/10

The Marian reforms are said to have transformed the Roman army from a citizen militia into a more professional fighting force, reshaping how Rome made war. In this episode, the Ancient Warfare Magazine team discuss the Marian reforms, what they actually were, and how far their impact has been understood or misunderstood. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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14:29

AWA403 - Why does the Odyssey 2026 trailer feel wrong?

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/04/03

John has been watching the trailer for the 2026 film 'The Odyssey', starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, and something does not sit right. The Trojan War is usually dated to the thirteenth or twelfth century BC, a period associated with Mycenaean or Achaean warfare and distinctive equipment, such as boar-tusk and horned helmets. This is the world shown in archaeological reconstructions and classic works such as Peter Connolly's The Ancient Greece of Odysseus. Yet in film and illustration, the warriors

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22:31

AWA402 - Arausio 105 BC: military defeat or political...

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/03/27

Peter got in touch with some thoughtful feedback and a set of big questions about the Battle of Arausio in 105 BC. A long-time reader of Ancient Warfare and a regular podcast listener, Peter has been debating Arausio with a wargaming friend and wanted Murray's take on a few key issues. Was Arausio a failure of Roman arms, or a failure of Roman politics that ended in catastrophe? If Caepio and Mallius had cooperated, could the battle have been won, or was defeat inevitable? And how capable were the

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12:06

AWA401 - Why Did Helmets Have Crests?

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/03/20

Responding to a recent episode of the main Ancient Warfare podcast, Eric writes in to ask about the purpose of the crest on helmets worn by ancient Greek and Roman soldiers. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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41:20

AW400 - Warriors in Bronze

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/03/13

Bronze helmets, greaves, armour, and bronze-faced shields make for an impressive army, but who fought in all that kit, next to whom, and how? In the latest episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine Podcast, the team discusses issue 106 of the magazine, Greece in the late Archaic period. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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09:54

AWA399 - Outflanking as a Tactical Innovation

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/03/06

Following an earlier episode in which Murray suggested that warfare was often conceived as frontal and honourable, Peter writes in with a response. He reflects on the idea that outflanking an opponent may once have been seen as poor form, even cowardly or lacking heroic virtue, and asks when outflanking became a tactical innovation deliberately employed in battle. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

en

12:17

AWA398 - Turning to Face an Outflank

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/02/27

John asks whether there are historical examples of a formation being outflanked where the troops on the threatened flank turn to engage the attacker, while the main line remains engaged to the front, effectively fighting on two faces at once while maintaining cohesion. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

en

11:32

AWA397 - Athenian Archers

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/02/20

Samuel asks about Athenian archers at the start of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides lists significant numbers of them in 431 and it raises a series of questions. How were these archers equipped Were they citizens, metics or the famous Scythian archers Did they serve aboard triremes or mainly in garrisons Were they poorer citizens unable to afford hoplite equipment, or were they specialists and mercenaries. Murray looks at what we know from the sources and archaeology about Athenian archers. Join

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45:23

AW396 - Revolutions in Warfare

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/02/13

What counts as a true revolution in warfare? In this episode, the panel tackles the idea of sudden and radical change on the ancient battlefield. Rather than slow evolution, they ask which developments transformed how wars were fought almost overnight. From the emergence of the phalanx and the impact of the trireme at sea, to the spread of cavalry, chariots, and new ways of organising troops, the discussion ranges across the ancient world. The panel also considers technological shifts, including the

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09:29

AWA395 - Gladiators and the Roman Army

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/02/06

Alexis asks about the connection between the Roman military and gladiators. Why did the army build and use its own amphitheatres, like the one at Carnuntum, with others recently identified at Megiddo and possibly Carthage and Puteoli Another puzzle is why the army engaged with gladiators at all when civilian amphitheatres already existed. Murray looks at what military amphitheatres were for in day to day army life. Were they training grounds, places of discipline, entertainment or demonstrations of

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12:14

AWA394 - War Pigs

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/01/30

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

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09:24

AWA393 - How long were bronze helmets used?

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/01/23

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. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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42:59

AW392 - Crossing the Rubicon

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/01/16

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

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11:26

AWA391 - Bridging the Hellespont

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/01/09

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. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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12:46

AWA390 - Roman Military Signalling

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2026/01/02

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. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

en

12:24

AWA389 - Rome's Elite Veterans: Influence, Origins,...

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2025/12/26

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? Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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11:25

AWA388 - The triple acies revisited

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2025/12/19

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. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

en

01:01:29

AW387 - The Roman legion in the second century AD

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2025/12/12

"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. Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast

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11:09

AWA386 - Let the die be cast

Ancient Warfare Podcast ·

2025/12/05

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.

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