Ancient Warfare Podcast

What exactly was the difference between skirmishing and a pitched battle in the armies of classical and Hellenistic antiquity? Long-time listener Uygar gets in touch with a question about the often overlooked role of skirmishing in ancient warfare. Were skirmishes simply small-scale battles between lightly armed troops, or did they serve a much more important purpose within a campaign? Why did skirmishing generally produce fewer casualties than pitched battles? Did heavy infantry take part, and if not, was this one reason skirmishes were less decisive? And why could what might seem like a relatively minor skirmish have such a significant effect on morale?   Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast  

@martcorn asks, "I'd like to know whether there were any 'British' legions." I'm thinking of the famous Spanish legions like the tenth. Was there any equivalent?"   Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast  

Why does the Roman gladius have so little protection for the hand compared with many later swords? In this episode, Murray answers a listener question about one of the most distinctive features of the Roman sword. Medieval swords often feature substantial guards designed to protect the hand, yet the gladius has only a relatively small guard. Why?   Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast  

Stratagems is the theme of the next issue of Ancient Warfare Magazine. The panel share their favourite stratagems from ancient warfare.   Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast  

What happened to the Dacians after Trajan's conquest of Dacia, and did some of them really end up serving in Roman Britain? In this episode, Murray answers a listener question about the Dacian presence in Britain. Following Trajan's conquest of Dacia in AD 106, Dacian soldiers were recruited into the Roman auxiliary forces, and some Dacian units were subsequently stationed on the fringes of the Empire, including in Britain. But what can the evidence tell us about these soldiers?   Join us on Patreon patreon.com/ancientwarfarepodcast