Introductions

I have been encouraged by friends to begin a blog, and to publish therein some of the many stories of the ancient world with which I frequently regale them. As long as I am entertaining them with stories of epic battles, failed stratagems, and the quirks of an ancient soldier's daily life, I may as well offer that opportunity to others.

A bit about myself: I am 25 years old, a native of Georgia, and only recently engaged to be married. I am a graduate student in ancient and military history, and now, entering my fourth year of the program, I am planning my dissertation. I am most interested in the Hellenistic period, and much of my work focuses on the Ptolemies of Egypt. Thus their history, and Hellenistic history, are likely to appear most frequently.

As for content, I am planning several components. First, whenever some story I have saved away comes out in conversation, I'll plan to elaborate on it here. That was the original germ for this blog. You may as well think of it as " But I will also be including a few "features" as regularly as I can manage. The first is a "This Day in Ancient Warfare," which is likely self-explanatory, and the second is "Makariamachy," which probably is not. "Makariamachy" means, roughly translated, the battle against foolishness. It will be an opportunity to examine battles, institutions, equipment, and people that are frequently oversimplified, misunderstood, or mistreated. At some point I would also like to add a feature for the "Unheard-of Ancient Battles," and its entirely possible I'll also post-in some of my thoughts on my research as I go along.