Ancient Warfare Podcast

Latest Episodes:

AWA420 - What were Roman walls for? Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

Russ asks, "I don't know what it is called, but at a certain point ( or a certain number of points) in time, Rome decided to build walls to defend their empire. Most famous, of course, is Hadrian's Wall. But of course they are many more, such as the Antonine Wall, Walls of Lugo, Aurelian's Wall and Londinium Walls, to name a few. These walls were constructed differently and had different purposes. Anyway, were the Walls revolutionary? Or something else?"

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AWA419 - Who is the better general: Thrasybulus or Demosthenes (or Brasidas)? Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

Jay asks "Murray, I really enjoyed your podcast about Demosthenes being one of the first generals to have a dedicated flank attack. I have always thought Demosthenes was criminally underrated among historians, because Thucydides writes about quite a few clever tactics of his. Likewise, I think Thrasybulus is another underrated commander as Athens' "last gasp" to preserve their democracy. Yet most casual history enthusiasts have probably never heard of either, while mainly focusing on Alcibiades and Pericles. If you could only pick one, which of the two do you think deserves more praise and recognition among historians?"

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AWA418 - What did legionaries drink on campaign? Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

Dan asks "May I submit an awa for uncle Murray here? What did legionaries drink on campaign? Aside from the obvious water and wine. Did they have flavoured cordials or plain water? Did they start their day with a hot drink and end with something cold, like we drink coffee and beer? Do we know of water rations, and can we infer if the legions were particularly hydrated or not?"

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AW417 - The Evolution of Tactics Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

How did tactics evolve in the ancient world? In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Podcast, the team explores how battlefield tactics developed over time, from the rigid formations of early armies to the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by some of history's greatest commanders.

They discuss the factors that drove tactical innovation, the influence of new weapons and troop types, and whether ancient generals were truly revolutionary or simply adapted to changing circumstances.

AWA416 - What evidence is there for striped Egyptian headwear? Jul 03, 2026

Show notes

A comment exchange on FB led to today's question. Commenting on a cover of an issue of Ancient Warfare Magazine, Michael asked, "I still don't know what evidence there is for the striped headwear. Is it a trope?" Jeffrey replied, "Now I am curious too. Maybe a topic for Ancient Warfare Answers Podcast to answer:" Ask, and you shall receive. Murray explores.

AWA415 - Why did the Romans completely abandon the spear in favour of the pilum? Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Seth tracked Murray down via Facebook Messenger and asked: "Hi Murray, really appreciate your AWA podcast, great short bursts of knowledge.

One question that bugs me about legionaries. Why did the Romans completely abandon the spear in favour of the pilum? Does it function effectively as a thrusting weapon as well as a thrown weapon?

If you have a space for a two-for, do you have time to talk about the comparative effectiveness of slings vs bows in the classical world? When did slings drop out of use in organised warfare? That's probably three, but you've made the mistake of being highly accessible and willing to take a crack at all sorts of topics."

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AWA414 - Did legionaries need to be 1.80 metres tall? Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

Carlos writes: "Hi Murray, Even though I've been an AWM subscriber for long, I only recently started listening to the podcast. I love the AWA episodes, and the regular group podcasts too.

I have a two-part question for AWA. First, I have read in various places that there were certain requirements to be admitted as a legionary in the Army of the Principate. For example, I've read in a popular magazine (not AWM!) that legionaries needed to be at least 1.80 m tall. This sounds difficult to believe. I have also often read that all legionaries needed to be able to read and write. This sounds more believable as a declaration of intentions, but it seems unlikely that it could actually be enforced.

What were the actual requirements, other than being a Roman citizen, in the Principate?"

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AW413 - Early Campaigns in Germania Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

'When Germanic warbands crossed the Rhine in 17 BC, they set in motion a turbulent series of Roman campaigns into Germania that spanned three decades.'

In this episode of the podcast, the team discusses AW107, Rome Crosses the Rhine: Early Campaigns in Germania.

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AWA412 - Were Cretan archers better than other archers? Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

Following on from Murray discussion of Athenian Archers in AWA 397, Tim asks "It would be interesting to hear of the effectiveness of the archers. In wargaming, Cretan archers are usually considered as better than other archers, similar to Belearic slingers. Was this actually true or just a wargaming tradition?" Murray investigates

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AWA411 - How did the Huns dress for war? May 29, 2026

Show notes

Jack asks: "Hi Murray Do we have enough information to actually describe how the Huns were dressed for war? Did they look much the same as the Goths or other migration era peoples? Is it a misconception to think they looked anything like the later Mongols? Did they go in for bright or rich fabrics in their panoply, like other Warrior cultures? I've heard that they were keen to get their hands on silk fabric, did they then wear this into battle?

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