Anecdote
VIKING MYTHS
They were giants. – the short summers and harsh winters did not provide the food necessary to grow big – their skeletons indicate the men were about 5’6” – not much taller than the average European male in the Middle Read more
Anecdote
HANNIBAL CROSSES THE RHONE
The Rhone River valley which Hannibal was crossing was the land of the Volcae. This powerful tribe was not going to let Hannibal cross the river. They withdrew most of their people living on the west bank to the opposite Read more
Anecdote
SCIPIO SAVES HIS FATHER
Publius Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus’ father) crossed the Po River to try to make contact with Hannibal’s army which had recently completed its crossing of the Alps. Scouts reported that the Carthaginian army was at the Trebia River. He had Read more
Anecdote
THE TRIPLEX ACIES
The Roman legion was organized into maniples. These were like loose phalanxes. The hastati and principes maniples had 120 men each and the triarii had 60. It is unclear how the men were placed in the hastati and principes Read more
Anecdote
A ROMAN LEGIONARY’S DIET
The Romans were advanced in medicine and they knew that diet affected the health of the legionaries. We have information about the diet of the Roman Empire soldier. We will assume a legionary fighting in the Second Punic War would Read more
Anecdote
ROMAN ARMY MEDICAL CARE
The Roman army provided excellent medical care. In fact, Roman medical care was not equaled until the 18th Century. As with other fields, the Romans built from a Greek foundation. In conquering southern Italy, the Romans came in contact Read more
Anecdote
THE SINKING OF THE TITAN
In 1898, Morgan Robertson published a novel entitled Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan which was about the sinking of an ocean liner on a cold night in April, 900 miles from New York. His ship had Read more
Anecdote
THE GLADIUS
The sword used by Scipio’s army in Spain in the Second Punic War was the famous gladius Hispaniensus (“the Spanish sword”), usually referred to as simply the gladius. It has been called the weapon that won an empire. It was Read more
Anecdote
THE SCUTUM
The key to a legionary’s survival was the shield. It was called a scutum. Polybius describes it as being rectangular and 2 ½ foot wide and 4 feet tall. “It consists of two layers of wood fastened together with bull’s-hide Read more