Heavy infantry
Greek Hoplites
Citizen soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with large shields and thrusting spears in the dense phalanx.
Explore tradition →
Armies, weapons and strategy
Ancient Warfare
From shield walls and chariot charges to sieges and naval battles, explore how ancient societies organised violence and built empires.
Military traditions
Armies That Forged Empires
Organisation, discipline, logistics and political purpose mattered as much as courage on the battlefield.
Imperial army
Persian Immortals
The elite royal guard formed part of an army drawing infantry, cavalry and specialists from across the empire.
Explore tradition →
Professional power
The Roman Legion
Flexible formations, engineering skill, fortified camps and relentless training made the legion a durable instrument of conquest.
Explore tradition →
Chariot warriors
Egyptian Army
Chariots, archers and infantry formed the backbone of Egypt’s military power, defending the Nile Valley and projecting force abroad.
Explore tradition →Decisive encounters
Battles That Changed History
1274 BCE
Battle of Kadesh
Egyptian and Hittite armies clash in Syria in one of the best-documented chariot battles of the Bronze Age.
490 BCE
Battle of Marathon
An Athenian-led army defeats a Persian expeditionary force on the plain of Marathon.
331 BCE
Battle of Gaugamela
Alexander defeats Darius III in a battle that opens the heartlands of the Persian Empire.
216 BCE
Battle of Cannae
Hannibal surrounds and destroys a much larger Roman army in a masterpiece of battlefield manoeuvre.
31 BCE
Battle of Actium
Octavian’s naval victory ends the struggle for control of the Roman world.
Tools of conquest
Weapons, Defences & Logistics
Close combat
Swords & Spears
Simple, adaptable and deadly, edged and pointed weapons dominated ancient battlefields.
Protection
Shields & Armour
Protection reflected technology, wealth, fighting style and the tactical needs of each army.
Breaking walls
Siegecraft
Ramps, towers, mines, artillery and blockade turned fortified cities into battlefields of engineering.
Winning campaigns
Supply & Movement
Roads, animals, ships, grain and disciplined marching determined how far armies could operate.