How to wage war like a Roman

In this bonus episode of History's Greatest Battles, Adrian Goldsworthy and Emily Briffett consider what made the Roman empire a mighty military superpower

Published: July 8, 2025 at 8:00 AM

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Do we overlook the military might of other ancient civilisations in favour of Rome? What was this ancient people’s weakest link when it came to warfare? And what battles didn’t make it into our top five? In this special bonus episode of History’s Greatest Battles, Emily Briffett is joined once again by Dr Adrian Goldsworthy to look back at the five epic clashes they explored throughout our first series on the Roman empire – from naval showdowns and brutal sieges to disastrous defeats and tales of betrayal. Together, they reflect on what these battles reveal about the Roman world – and consider whether they are really representative of the ancient civilisation’s military prowess.

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If you’re interested in finding out more about Roman military history, Adrian recently appeared on the HistoryExtra podcast to discussed everything you wanted to know about the warfare of this ancient civilisation – from why Roman soldiers didn’t always wear red to how and when their seemingly invincible army was defeated by a hedge.

Authors

Emily BriffettSenior content producer (podcasts)

Emily Briffett is senior content producer (podcasts) at HistoryExtra

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