Collections: Teaching Paradox, Imperator, Part I: Divisa in Partes Tres

This is the first part of a three-part (I, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb) series, examining the historical assumptions of Imperator: Rome, a historical grand strategy game by Paradox Interactive, set during the rise and collapse of the Roman Republic from 304-27 BC and covering the broader Mediterranean world and South Asia. This is also the … Continue reading Collections: Teaching Paradox, Imperator, Part I: Divisa in Partes Tres →

Collections: The Philosophy of Liberty – On Liberalism

It is once again the week of July 4th and so, as is customary here, I am going to use this week's post to talk about the United States or more correctly this week about the political philosophy the United States was founded on: liberalism. Now an immediate clarification is necessary, because in the United … Continue reading Collections: The Philosophy of Liberty – On Liberalism →

Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part III: Going To War With the Army You Have

This is the third and final part of our three-part (I, II, III) look at how some 'tribal' or more correctly, non-state agrarian peoples - particularly the Celtiberians, Gauls and also many Germanic-language speaking peoples on the Rhine and Danube- raised armies to fight the Romans (and anyone else who came knocking) in the third, … Continue reading Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part III: Going To War With the Army You Have →

Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part II: Government Without States

This is the second part of our (planned) three part (I, II, III) look at how some 'tribal' or more correctly, non-state agrarian peoples raised armies to fight the Romans (and others) in the third through first centuries BC. Last time, we looked at the subsistence basis of these societies - they're agricultural - and … Continue reading Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part II: Government Without States →

Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part I: Aristocrats, Retainers and Clients

For the next few posts (I, II, III), I want to take a look at how some 'tribal' peoples raised armies, in contrast to the way that ancient (or later) states raised armies. As moderns, we are so familiar with the way that states function that the far older systems of non-state organization and mobilization … Continue reading Collections: How to Raise a Tribal Army in Pre-Roman Europe, Part I: Aristocrats, Retainers and Clients →

Fireside Friday, May 31, 2024 (Academic Departments)

Fireside this week! I am spinning up to write a Teaching Paradox series on Imperator later this week, but not quite ready to get started yet. I'm also thinking, perhaps before that, of doing a short post or set of posts on the organization of non-state 'tribal' societies in pre-Roman western Europe, looking at one … Continue reading Fireside Friday, May 31, 2024 (Academic Departments) →

Collections: On the Reign of Alexander III of Macedon, the Great? Part II

This is the second and final part of our look at Alexander III of Macedon (this is the second part, the first part is here), who you almost certainly know as Alexander the Great. Last week, we looked at the sources for Alexander's life, the historiography (that is, the history-of-the-history) of his modern reception and … Continue reading Collections: On the Reign of Alexander III of Macedon, the Great? Part II →

Collections: On the Reign of Alexander III of Macedon, the Great? Part I

This week, in part as a follow-on to our series on the contest between Hellenistic armies and Roman legions, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about Alexander III, who you almost certainly know as Alexander the Great (this is the first part, the second part is here). But I want to discuss his … Continue reading Collections: On the Reign of Alexander III of Macedon, the Great? Part I →