Aldo Paccione
Search results
History is full of incredible ancient warriors from all corners of the planet. Although warrior culture differed in minor ways depending on location, these greatest ancient warriors had a few things in common. They were brave, intelligent, charismatic, and above all, lethal.
- Alexander the Great’s Companion Cavalry were recruited from the upper classes of society to ride into battle alongside the great military leader. Alexander the Great is widely regarded as one of the finest military minds who ever lived.
- Shaolin Monks were the fathers of modern martial arts and used their fighting skills in the service of Emperors before being persecuted. Far from being peaceful, pacifists, monks have long been capable of violence.
- The Varangian Guard were Viking mercenaries who fought ferociously for the Byzantium Empire for more than 400 years. Mercenaries, soldiers fighting for money rather than for any notion of loyalty or patriotism, have been around as long as warfare itself.
- The Immortals of Cyrus the Great were an elite unit of soldiers that could never be diminished in size or strength – until Alexander the Great came along, that is.
- The Akkadians. Mesopotamia was the cradle of civilization. So it is no surprise that it was also the birthplace of organized warfare. The ancient Sumerians pioneered war and conquest, in the same way as they did city building, religion, and commerce.
- The Hittites. The Hittites originated in the mountains of the modern Ukraine, near the Black Sea. By 1900BC they had established the Kingdom of Hatti in central Anatolia, part of modern day Turkey.
- The Assyrians. The Assyrian empire began in what is now Iraq, as a small community of traders in the city of Ashur. But to protect themselves and their fertile lands from their jealous neighbors, they were forced to become warriors who could respond quickly to aggression and raids.
- The Spartans. Although not empire builders as such, the Spartans were the elite warrior culture of ancient Greece between sixth and fourth centuries BC.
Feb 21, 2020 · Learn about the best-trained, best-equipped and most experienced fighters in history, from ancient Greece to medieval Europe. Explore their contributions, codes of conduct and legacies in military history.
- Mark Cartwright
- Publishing Director
Nov 30, 2018 · War was the chief means by which territory was annexed or rulers defeated in ancient India, which was divided into multiple kingdoms, republics and empires. Often one empire predominated or different...
Mar 27, 2018 · In the ancient Greek world, warfare was seen as a necessary evil of the human condition. Whether it be small frontier skirmishes between neighbouring city -states, lengthy city-sieges, civil wars, or large-scale battles between multi-alliance blocks on land and sea, the vast rewards of war could outweigh the costs in material and lives.
Before Julius Caesar secured his reputation as Ancient Rome’s most formidable military commander and most famous warrior, there was Gaius Marius (157 – 86 BC), a formidable warrior and a general who saved Rome from extinction.
