A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry
A look at history and popular culture
Hey folks! I had planned to do a Fireside for this week with a sort of 'year-in-review' musing, but between the holidays and the whole pedant household coming down with a nasty cold, I'm a bit short of the time and energy to put together a full fireside with recommendations. Instead, I'll offer this brief end-of-year reflection … Continue reading Gap Week: December 29, 2023 (Year In Review)
One of the first questions anyone asks about past societies is, 'how many people were there?' It is one of those basic bits of information and generally speaking those of us who teach these societies are usually prepared with an estimate to answer the question. But what we often don't talk about is how we come to … Continue reading Collections: How Many People? Ancient Demography
This week, we're going to take a look at a different aspect of ancient infantry tactics: how heavy infantry shield formations work. While I've framed this around 'shield walls,' not every kind of shielded heavy infantry fought that way and in practice the line between what is a 'shield wall' and what isn't comes down to … Continue reading Collections: Shield Walls and Spacing: Hollywood Mobs and Ancient Tactics
Apologies for running a fireside so quickly after the gap week, but with the end of the semester coming as the job market gets busier, I haven't had time to finish the next post on shield walls just yet. That will come out next week for sure though, as it is close to done. I … Continue reading Fireside Friday, December 8, 2023
No blog post this week, folks, as I am both fiercely busy and - by the time this goes up - out of town. We'll be back to our regular schedule next week, with the next big topic I want to tackle being what a shield wall is and how it actually functions on a … Continue reading Gap Week: December 1, 2023