The Great Commanders
The Great Commanders is an award-winning expert portrait of six men: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Horatio Nelson, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ulysses S. Grant, and Georgi Zhukov. Their military genius indisputably changed the course of world history. Each episode reveals their personal background, tactical strategy skills, and the vital importance of each man's unique qualities.
The Great Commanders is an award-winning expert portrait of six men: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Horatio Nelson, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ulysses S. Grant, and Georgi Zhukov. Their military genius indisputably changed the course of world history. Each episode reveals their personal background, tactical strategy skills, and the vital importance of each man's unique qualities.
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When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BCE, the fate of the Roman Republic had already been sealed. Rome’s representative government had been crumbling for decades. And…
How Alexander Became Great: From Child of Zeus to God of Egypt
Alexander entered Egypt in 332 BCE, liberating it from the Persians and advancing his ultimate goal of conquering the entire Persian Empire. In the process, he transformed Egypt,…
From Pigeons to Planes: A History of Weird and Excessive Military Spending
The history of military R&D has been both comic and tragic. And unsurprisingly, in the 21st century the world’s military budgets continue to soar.
Sex and Violence in Rome: Caligula’s Empire and the Salacious Rumors that Built It
Caligula was Rome’s third emperor, and the first to be assassinated. While the start of his reign was full of promise, he soon lost support as he became increasingly erratic,…
Nero’s Revenge: Rethinking Rome’s Most Depraved Emperor
Known for “fiddling” while Rome was in flames, Nero is the model for depraved autocrats. Sifting through the lurid details, historians now depict a more complex man. He was…
The Fall of Greece and the Rise of Rome: The Role of Pyrrhus and His “Pyrrhic Victories”
The Hellenistic period (323 to 30 BCE) following Alexander the Great saw the decline of Greece and the rise of Rome to imperial dominance. The “pyrrhic victories” of Pyrrhus of…
The Age of Greece: Rise and Decline of the Ancient Greek City-States
Greece is one in a constellation of ancient cultures that formed the foundations of Western civilization. In this timeline, we’ll mark the rise of Greece from its preliterate…