-
Strategy, Tactics, and Logistics
Writer, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Major, Craig Martelle www.craigmartelle.com used an expression, “Amateurs talk tactics, while professionals talk logistics.” Is this true? Is the phrase simply a prod to make people think in terms of details? Or can historical events prove the validity of the statement? It was these questions I wanted answered. Here…
-
Spartan Infantrymen & Cretan Bowmen
You might not see a connection between Sparta and Crete, I didn’t. For me, they appeared to be opposites as one was an in-land nation and the other an island nation. Yet, there were similarities as one produced the most feared infantrymen in antiquity and the other the deadliest bowmen in ancient times. It was…
-
An Interview with J. Clifton Slater
I was honored to be a guest on a show featuring conversations with Las Vegas authors. Hosted by Sarah “S.G.” Tasz, the Neon Salon covers local writers in long form interviews. During our talk, Sarah and I touched on writing influences, the inspirations for my various series, how I became a novelist, why new author…
-
Did All Roads Lead to Rome?
In 1175 A.D., French theologian and poet Alain de Lille wrote, ‘mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam’. When translated, the saying is ‘a thousand roads lead men forever to Rome’. Or, as famously abbreviated, “All roads lead to Rome”. At one time in history, had he changed it to read ‘most roads lead to…
-
The Roman Corvus Boarding Ramp
Two bronze rams, jutting from the bows of ancient warships, sped towards one another. Each quinquereme was powered by 300 rowers, stroking 180 oars. The warships adjusted their headings seeking the best angle of attack. As the rams came abreast, a boarding ramp dropped from one warship. Spanning the gap between vessels and pinning them…
-
The Naming of Ancient Roman Warships
In the ‘Iliad and the Odyssey’, Jason and the Argonauts sailed on the ship ‘Argo’ on their search for the Golden Fleece. ‘Argo’ is a feminine name. After examining the surviving poems, plays, and documents, we discovered the ancient Greeks used female names as designations for their ships. When the 1st Punic War began in…
-
Ancient Rome’s 360 Degrees of Enemies
A blade and an attitude, two things Republic statesmen brought into every negotiation. But why was ancient Rome so hostile? It’s this belligerent posturing and the ready promise of war that interested me. Let’s examine the challenges surrounding Rome in 264 B.C. at the start of the 1st Punic War. **** To the East of…
-
The Way of the Legion
Rome’s naked blade, the Legion, was honed and sharpened during the years of the Roman Republic (509 B.C. – 27 B.C.). And during the Imperial era (27 B.C.– 476 A.D.), it was perfected and systemized. It is the Legions dominance of land warfare for a thousand years that interest me. While Legions lost battles over…
-
Roman Legion Marching Camps – Safety vs Efficiency?
One mantra of modern Special Forces states ‘Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast’. In essence, it dictates that thoughtful actions are more effective than rash decisions. Conversely, the refrain seems in opposition to ‘He Who Hesitates is Lost’ where swift and resolute action brings victory. The two ideals are the core of the debate about…
-
What was the Smart Weapon of Ancient Rome?
We think of modern smart weapons as extraordinarily accurate, targetable, and specialized. Examples include bombs that follow laser beams to specific locations or missiles and rockets capable of changing track while locked onto a target. But what armament would be considered a smart weapon in ancient Rome? It’s this question of accuracy, doggedness, and usage…
