You cannot win a war without strong economy. “Because Sparta produced so little of value, the Spartan state simply lacked the funds to supplement its operational capabilities. It could not afford foreign siege engineers or experts (an increasingly dire liability… Read More »Collections: This. Isn’t. Sparta. Part VII: Spartan Ends
Spartans weren’t super warriors. “Part of this, to be fair, is about time – tactical sophistication increases quite a bit from 500 to 50 B.C. But that’s the thing about judging the Spartans – the claim is often not “they… Read More »Collections: This. Isn’t. Sparta. Part VI: Spartan Battle
It was worse than in the movie. “This is perhaps the most glaring way that 300 sugar-coats the agoge. In the film, Leonidas graduates by slaying a wolf that was hunting him. But it is almost certain that the real… Read More »Collections: This. Isn’t. Sparta. Part I: Spartan School
State craft in old Greece. “Consider modern nuclear deterrence theory as an extreme example – deterrence is maintained not by launching nuclear weapons, nor by being willing to to do, but by the belief of other states that you will… Read More »Collections: A Trip Through Thucydides (Fear, Honor and Interest) – A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry
Experimental knowledge is important and not to be dismissed. “That said, our ancient – or even medieval – smiths do not understand the chemistry of all of this, of course. Understanding the effects of carbuzation and how to harness that… Read More »Collections: Iron, How Did They Make It, Part IVa: Steel Yourself
War horses did not work like you think. “if for some baffling reason you are going to charge enemy infantry in good order over an open field, you really want a weapon which can reach past the head of your… Read More »That Dothraki Charge
War works differently then you think. “That focus on morale gets to a truth about warfare: the winner of a battle is not the one that kills the most, but the one who makes the enemy run away. And the… Read More »Collections: The Siege of Gondor: Part VI: Black Sails and Gleaming Banners
This is why math and physics is important kids. “So what is our conclusion? Mainly that it seems very unlikely that – as real, non-magical but monstrous creatures – trolls could actually function as they are shown. The weapons they… Read More »Collections: The Siege of Gondor, Part V: Just Flailing About Flails
I justove how complicated logistic gets even with the simplest stuff. “One thing is missing for this army, however: spare horses. A knight does not ride to battle with a single horse, but rather with several. The war-horse is a… Read More »Collections: The Siege of Gondor, Part IV: The Cavalry Arrives
So much to learn from this books, movies and an historian. “In the film, the defense of Minas Tirith collapses because Grond breaches the gate and then mountain trolls push through the defenders. Mordor triumphs by raw physical might smashing… Read More »Collections: The Siege of Gondor, Part III: Having Fun Storming the City