Kings and Generals

We have always been fascinated with tactics of the past and the ways generals were able to win the battles against the overwhelming odds. In this video we list 10 antique and medieval tactics and formations that we consider most interesting.

Disclaimer: This video is no shape or form a documentary. Although we tried to keep it factual, some approximation was made to simplify and show the events prior to the Cristopher Nolan movie Dunkirk. Phoenix watched the movie on Thursday and thought that this video will be helpful to those who are not familiar with the events of the Battle of France, Battle of Belgium, Battle of Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo.

Trailer for our upcoming series on the Napoleonic Wars. We are planning to release 5 episodes this year and 5 to 10 more in 2018.

The Roman era came to a complete end more than 5 centuries ago, but it still one of the most discussed historical periods. One of the discussions is on the prominent figures of Rome and Byzantium. Some of them are called the Last Romans - Ultimus Romanorum, which signifies their deeds and exploits. This is our, highly opinionated list of the Last Romans.

With the imminent premiere of the Last Jedi, Episode VIII of the Star Wars saga, we decided to release a video covering the events that happened right after the Return of the Jedi, as they may help to understand the Last Jedi better. In this video, we will talk about the Battle of Jakku which was decisive in the struggle of the New Republic and the remnants of the Empire. This battle possible was also crucial as it probably was central to the creation of the First Order and possibly hides clues to the origin of the Supreme Leader Snoke and the secretive Knight of Ren.

Just a trailer showcasing the series that we are planning to cover in 2018. Each series will have at least 5 documentary videos and we have plans for much more.

Our secondary series called the Armies and Tactics finally makes its debut. This series will cover the armies, their tactics, formations, weaponry and other matters pertaining to the warfare. In this video, we talk about the way the armies of the ancient Greeks changed during the Persian invasions.

Our Armies and Tactics series continues and in this edition we will talk about the Ancient Greek Navies, with a focus on Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian Wars. Which ships were used, what were the tactics, who financed the fleets and manned them - you will learn about all that and more in this video.

In the new episode of the Armies and Tactics series we are discussing the changes that happened in the Greek Warfare during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. The hoplites were still dominant, but the lighter versions of them were developed, and a number of Hellenic city-states started using cavalry and skirmishers in order to gain the upper hand in battles. This series will be concluded in two weeks and we will move on to the reforms of Philip of Macedon, so exciting stuff on the way.

In this new subseries within Armies and Tactics series, we will cover the various tactics, strategies, formations, doctrines etc. used by the generals throughout history. The first video will discuss the formation called Oblique Order and we will use the battles of Leuctra fought between the Spartans and the Thebans of Epaminondas in 371 BC, Battle of Hohenfriedberg in which Frederick the Great and his Prussians defeated the Austrians in 1745 and the battle of Friedland during which Napoleon decisively defeated the Russian army and forced Russia and Prussia to sign the treaty of Tilsit as an example.

We are continuing our series on the Ancient Greek Warfare with a video on the siege technologies of the Greeks prior to the reforms of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great. This video covers the siege engines used during the sieges and the defenses employed.

Previously we have covered the evolution of the Greek Armies prior to the rise of Macedon, but the military of Hellenistic World became really dominant with the reforms of Philip II. Surrounded by the enemies, he used what he learned from Epaminondas, Pelopidas, and Iphicrates, to reform his armies and created one of the most dominant units of the antiquity - the Macedonian phalanx. In this video, we will discuss how the pezhetairoi were trained, what were their panoply and the combat role and much more.

In the previous video we discussed the beginning of the reforms of Philip II and his mighty Macedonian Sarissa Phalanx. But Alexander's father did not stop there, also reforming his Companion Cavalry and his light Prodromoi cavalry and this video explains the tactics used by the new cavalry units, their weapons and armor, their battle roles and how they were formed. Philip also employed an engineer corp, led by Polyidus. Polyidus and his successors would create and improve many siege weapons that helped Philip and Alexander in their conquests.

In the last two videos, we described military reforms of Philip II of Macedon and how he changed his infantry, cavalry and siege weapons. Yet, the changes to the Macedonian army were just starting, and his son - Alexander the Great - conducted his own reforms throughout his campaigns. Alexander has built upon the work of his father and created an army that conquered the Achaemenid Empire and beyond. He created and improved some of the deadliest units of Antiquity, among them - the Silver Shields and Royal Agema.

This animated historical documentary video discusses how one of the wealthiest men in history - Marcus Licinius Crassus became so rich during the era of the Late Roman Republic and features other great Roman generals and statesmen like Caesar, Sulla, Pompey, Lucullus, Marius, and others. We will find out how rich Crassus was and how he became so wealthy. More videos on the richest people in history and the Roman economy are planned.

We are continuing our animated historical documentary series on the armies and tactics of the Ancient Greeks with the video covering the logistics of the Macedonian Armies. In this video, we will explain how the armies of Alexander the Great and Philip traveled and were supplied.

In our previous animated historical documentaries we talked about troops of Alexander the Great and Philip II, yet despite the fact formidable Companions and the devastating Macedonian phalanx epitomized the conquests of Alexander, there were many other units in Alexander’s army besides his mighty Macedonians – many of which specialized in performing roles critical to some of Alexander’s greatest military triumphs. In this episode, we will have an in-depth look at these units.

After our animated historical documentary series on the Armies of the Ancient Greeks, we are moving on to Rome and we are going to start with the oldest Roman armies of the kingdom and early republic.

The Hundred Years' War is one of the central conflicts of the Medieval era and many animated historical documentaries were made about it, and although the battles like Crecy, Poitiers, Agincourt, Orleans, Formigny and Castillon are very interesting, the reasons the war happened are often overlooked. In this video, we will talk about the scandalous Tour de Nesle affair and how it influenced the dynastic situation in France and England.

In our previous animated historical documentary, we have covered the earliest Roman army. This new episode will describe the Roman army of the mid-Republic, the so-called Polybian or Manipular legion and the famous triplex acies formation. Our plan is to continue this series all the way to the fall of Constantinople, so stick around. The next episodes in this series will see how the Romans dealt with Carthage and the famous Macedonian Phalanx.

Paragons of virtue, exemplars of honour, beacons of integrity and masters of warfare - the knights of the east. This is what we generally picture when we think of the infamous Samurai. While it is an attractive view of these legendary warriors, it is nevertheless quite a misleading one. In this video, we shall do our best to correct this, and cover the even more fascinating roles and perceptions of the samurai in Japanese society from the earliest days all the way to the modern day.

Punic wars were one of the central events for the history of the Roman Republic. Featuring the generals like Quintus Fabius Maximus and Hamilcar, Publius Cornelius Scipio and Hannibal, and the battles like Cannae, Zama and Lake Trasimene this conflict allowed Rome to dominate the Mediterranean basin. But how did the Carthaginians fight? What was the composition of their armies and how did they match up against the Roman legions? Let's find out in this documentary.

In this animated historical documentary, we will talk about Locusta - the first serial killer in history. This Gallic woman was employed by the Roman emperor Nero and his mother Agrippina and poisoned many of their enemies, among them emperor Claudius and his son Britannicus.

The conquests of Alexander the Great and the Wars of his Successors which we covered in our previous animated historical documentaries opened Asia to the Greek influence and culture and the process of Hellenization encompassed all regions from Egypt to China. However, the easternmost state the Ancient Greeks created was the kingdom of Bactria, which gained independence from the Seleucid Empire. This state became the shining beacon of the civilization in the region and influenced it for centuries to come, most famously by creating a synthesis with one of the Buddhist sects - the Mahayana.

In this new illustrated historical documentary we will talk about Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who will forever go down in history as the man whose assassination helped lead to the First World War. However, what is less well known is the Franz Ferdinand’s painful story of undying romantic love and a great tragedy that was to forever be overshadowed by the global conflict it helped to spark.

In our previous animated historical documentaries, we described the early Roman army, its evolution into the manipular legion and struggle against the Carthaginian army, and also the Macedonian phalanx and how Philip created it. But how did the legions of Rome matched against the Macedonian phalanx during the battles of Asculum, Heraclea, Cynoscephalae, Pydna, and others? Let's find out together.

Hey guys, in our new animated historical documentary series we will cover the Gallic Wars of Gaius Julius Caesar, building up to the Roman Civil War. Enjoy the trailer!

In our previous animated historical documentary we have talked about the Ancient Greek state in Bactria, but this Hellenistic state had to fight a number of wars after the conquests of Alexander. The Greeks of the region (Dayuan) were discovered by China during the expedition of the traveler Zhang Qian and had to fight against the Han dynasty during the War of the Heavenly horses between 104 and 101 BC. this war changed the fate of the region, and contributed to the creation of the Silk Road.

By the end of the II century BC, Rome became the dominant state in the Mediterranean, defeating Carthage, Macedon and the Seleucids, yet the internal problems and the arrival of the Germanic Cimbri showed that the victorious Roman legions are in need of a reform. Although some of the changes were started to be implemented previously, it was the new brilliant general - Gaius Marius, who reformed the legions, changing almost all aspects of their fighting and paving the way to more conquests. Unfortunately, for the Republic, this military reform would have a long-standing effect on the political life and would make the likes of Sulla, Caesar, Pompey, and others very powerful.

Previously in our animated historical documentary series on the Ancient Armies and Tactics we have covered the Marian Reforms and their Military Effects However these reforms also had a deep political impact. In this episode, we will talk about the political situation in the Roman Republic prior to the beginning of the Gallic Wars of Gaius Julius Caesar and will give an overview of the Sulla's Civil Wars, Social War, deeds of the Gracchi brothers and Drusus and much more.

In this animated historical documentary, we will cover one of the most essential Roman systems, which regulated the social life and allowed the Republic and then the Empire to strive. Welcome to our video on the Roman Patronage system.

We proudly present the Cold War Channel. Starting in March of 2019, we will be releasing weekly videos describing the history of this tumultuous period, so subscribe to our new channel and press the bell button to never miss a new video!

In our new animated series, dedicated to the release of the last season of the Game of Thrones TV show, we will cover the history of the world of Ice and Fire, which has captivated people throughout the world. Join us as we explore one of the most crucial events in its history - Aegon's Conquest, during which the man himself subjugated six of seven powerful kingdoms to his will, setting the scene for Game of Thrones.

We proudly present the Cold War Channel. Starting on March 16th, we will be releasing weekly videos describing the history of this tumultuous period.

We are continuing our animated series, dedicated to the release of the last season of the Game of Thrones TV show and are eager to cover the history of the world of Ice and Fire, which has captivated people throughout the world. In this video we will describe the Blackfyre rebellion, which was part of the Targaryen civil wars and the battle of the Redgrass Field.

Our animated documentary series on the Game of Thrones and the World of Ice and fire continues with a story from the war of the Five Kings and the battles of Green Fork and Whispering Wood, during which the forces of Robb Stark and Tywin Lannister fought for the dominance over the Riverlands. This campaign showed the strategic brilliance of the Young Wolf and gave the Lions of Lannister plenty to think about.

In the previous video in our animated series on the Game of Thrones and the World of Ice and Fire, we have covered the battles of the Green Fork and Whispering Wood, during which the armies of Robb Stark faced off against the Lannisters. Although the Lannisters managed to restore parity on this front, to the south their positions at the Kings Landing were attacked by Stannis Baratheon and that lead to the Battle of the Blackwater, one of the largest in the War of Five Kings.

In the previous video in our animated series on the Game of Thrones and the World of Ice and Fire, we have covered the battle of Blackwater, which confirmed the dominance of the Lannisters over Westeros. They were able to appoint the Boltons the guardians of the North and that put Ramsay Bolton and Jon Snow of the house Stark on a collision course. The battle of Winterfell decided the fate of the North.

Our animated historical documentary series on the history of China continues with a video on the legendary Mulan. Is there a truth to the modern incarnation of her story where she fights against the Huns? What is real history and what is the myth?

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