The Samurai: Japan’s Elite Feudal Warriors
16th century illustration of samurai raiding the house of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight, and the only reason a warrior fights is…
Celtic Warriors: Fearless Fighters of Ancient Europe
“Vercingetorix Throws Down His Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar” by Lionel Noel Royer, 1899. A famous painting depicting surrender of Gallic Chieftain Vercingetorix to Julius Caesar following the…
The Hashshashin: Assassins of Persia
Remains of the Alamut Castle in Qazvin, Iran. Photo by Alireza Javaheri / CC BY 3.0 Copped/DEED. Cropped. The Hashshashin, also known as the Assassins, were a religious sect of…
Viking Warfare: Battle Tactics of the Norse Warriors
A Viking Age depiction from the Tjängvide image stone, on Gotland. Photo by Berig / CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED. The Viking Age (793–1066 CE) was a significant period during the…
The British Commandos: Elite Warriors of World War II
Commandos of 1st Special Service Brigade in Osnabruck, 4 April 1945. Georger Laws, No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit. Imperial War Museum. The British Commandos played a crucial role…
Blood and Sand: The Lives of Ancient Roman Gladiators
Pollice Verso (“With a Turned Thumb”), an 1872 painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme. In the grand amphitheaters of ancient Rome, where the sun beat down upon the sand-strewn arena, the gladiators…
Warrior Women of the Black Sea: The True Story Behind the Amazons
Clay copy of the Mattei-type Amazon (Wounded Amazon) in the courtyard of the Numismatic Museum of Athens. The clay statue dates to the 19th century. The original is lost and…
Zulu Warriors: A Legacy of Courage and Battle Prowess
Zulu warriors, 1882. Image extracted from page 279 of “A Holiday in South Africa … With map and illustrations”, by LEYLAND, Ralph Watts. Original held and digitized by the British…
The Shōninki: Natori Masatake’s Treatise on the Ninja’s Craft
Nishinomaru and Fukiage, residences of the three Tokugawa families (17th century). The Shōninki is an intriguing manuscript that offers an unparalleled insight into the realm of the shinobi, also known…
The Shinobi Hiden: Insights into the Secrets of Ninjutsu
Hand-drawn historic illustration of a ninja from circa 1770 (Meiwa era). The Shinobi Hiden or Legends of Ninja Secrets, also known as the Ninpiden, is a significant historical text in…