"The difference between prehistoric and ancient warfare is more organization oriented than technology oriented."
Military structures and warfare played a critical role in the rise and fall of ancient political systems. Understanding the strategies and tactics of the time is important when studying ancient political history.
Military Organization: This topic covers the basic structure of any military organization including chain of command, rank structure, and organizational hierarchy.
Military Strategy: This topic encompasses the various ways in which militaries plan and execute their operations, including strategic planning, operational planning and tactical planning.
Military Tactics: This topic covers the specific techniques and methods used by a military during combat or other forms of military engagement.
Military History: This topic covers the history of military operations and the evolution of military structures and warfare over time.
Weapons and Technology: This topic covers various weapons and technologies used in military engagements throughout history, including swords, shields, bows and arrows, as well as more modern technologies like firearms and tanks.
Military Intelligence: This topic covers the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information regarding an adversary's military capabilities.
Geography and Terrain: This topic explores the impact of geography and terrain on military engagements, including factors such as climate, vegetation, and topography.
Logistics: This topic covers the means by which a military organization sustains itself, including transportation, supply and distribution, and maintenance.
Training and Discipline: This topic covers the methods used by militaries to train and discipline their soldiers, including physical training, drill, and military justice.
Command and Control: This topic covers the means by which a military organization manages its operations, including communication, decision-making, and coordination.
Leadership: This topic explores the role of leadership within the military, including the qualities of effective leaders, and the relationship between leaders and their subordinates.
Military Ethics: This topic explores ethical considerations within military operations, including the treatment of prisoners, the use of force, and the responsibility of military personnel to protect civilians.
Civil-Military Relations: This topic covers the relationship between the military and civilian authorities, including issues of control, accountability, and democratic governance.
War and Society: This topic explores the impact of war on society, including its effects on civilian populations, and the role of military personnel in society.
Military Science: This topic encompasses the scientific study of warfare, including topics such as military psychology, military sociology, and military economics.
Kingdom: A monarchy where a king rules over a territory and its people. Military forces are controlled by the king and his appointed officials.
Empire: A political system where a group of territories are controlled by a central authority or emperor. Military forces are controlled by the ruler and high ranking officials.
City-state: An independent city that acts as a sovereign state. Military forces are controlled by its rulers or elected officials.
Republic: A political system where the people elect representatives to govern. Military forces are controlled by the government and its military leaders.
Tribal Confederation: A group of tribes that unite for mutual benefit and protection. Military forces are controlled by tribal leaders and appointed officials.
Feudalism: A political system where land is granted in exchange for military service. Military forces are controlled by lords and their vassals.
Absolute Monarchy: A political system where a monarch has complete control over the government and military. Military forces are controlled by the monarch and appointed officials.
Mercantilism: A political and economic system where a nation's power is measured by its wealth. Military forces are controlled by the government to protect its nation's interests.
Colonialism: A political and economic system where a nation establishes colonies in foreign lands. Military forces are used to establish and maintain control over these colonies.
Holy Wars: Wars fought for religious reasons with the goal of spreading a particular faith. Military forces are controlled by religious leaders and government officials.
"The development of first city-states, and then empires, allowed warfare to change dramatically."
"States produced sufficient agricultural surplus. This allowed full-time ruling elites and military commanders to emerge."
"While the bulk of military forces were still farmers..."
"These new armies were able to help states grow in size and become increasingly centralized."
"The end of antiquity is often equated with the Fall of Rome in 476 AD, the wars of the Eastern Roman Empire on its Southwestern Asian and North African borders, and the beginnings of the Muslim conquests in the 7th century."
"It can also be seen as ending of the growing role of mounted warriors needed to counter the ever-growing threat from the north in the 5th century..."
"The ancient period ends with the decline of the Gupta Empire (6th century) and the beginning of the Muslim conquests there from the 8th century."
"In Japan, the ancient period is considered to end with the rise of feudalism in the Kamakura period in the 12–13th century."
"Early ancient armies continued to primarily use bows and spears."
"The findings at the site of Nataruk in Turkana, Kenya, have been interpreted as evidence of inter-group conflict and warfare in antiquity."
"The infantries at this time would be divided into ranged and shock, with shock infantry either charging to cause penetration of the enemy line or hold their own."
"These forces would ideally be combined, thus presenting the opponent with a dilemma: group the forces and leave them vulnerable to ranged, or spread them out and make them vulnerable to shock."
"This balance would eventually change as technology allowed for chariots, cavalry, and artillery to play an active role on the field."
"No clear line can be drawn between ancient and medieval warfare."
"The characteristic properties of medieval warfare, notably heavy cavalry and siege engines such as the trebuchet were first introduced in Late Antiquity."
"The main division within the ancient period is at the beginning Iron Age with the introduction of cavalry (resulting in the decline of chariot warfare), of naval warfare (Sea Peoples), and the development of an industry based on ferrous metallurgy."
"The first military power to profit from these innovations was the Neo-Assyrian Empire..."
"...achieved a hitherto unseen extent of centralized control, the first 'world power' to extend over the entire Fertile Crescent (Mesopotamia, the Levant and Egypt)."
"...the development of an industry based on ferrous metallurgy which allowed for the mass production of metal weapons and thus the equipment of large standing armies."