Get ready for a fascinating episode of Why Wars Happened as we dive into the gritty, complex world of ancient Greek warfare with Dutch historian Roel Konijnendijk. Roel’s not only a top expert on classical Greek military history—he’s also a longtime moderator on Reddit’s r/AskHistorians. We’ll bust some myths about Spartan soldiers, dig into the tactics the Greeks actually used on the battlefield, and explore the political drama between the smaller Greek states and powerful Persia. We also talk about his book, Classical Greek Tactics: A Cultural History, and what it reveals about how the Greeks really fought. If you’re into history that cuts through the legend and gets to the heart of how war shaped the ancient world, this one’s for you.

00:00 Introduction to the Why Wars Happened Podcast

00:50 Meet Roel Konijnendijk: Expert on Classical Greek Warfare

01:30 Understanding Greek Warfare: Myths vs. Reality

01:57 The Citizen Militia: Greek Warfare Dynamics

04:20 The Role of Generals and the Community in Greek Warfare

14:46 Comparing Greek and Roman Military Systems

18:45 Sources and Evidence in Studying Ancient Warfare

27:48 The Mystery of Greek Fire and Ancient Innovations

31:28 Debates and Misconceptions in Greek Warfare

35:33 Greek Relations and Alliances

36:23 The Persian Empire's Influence

37:33 Greek States Seeking Persian Aid

38:34 Persian Wars and Greek Diplomacy

41:44 The King's Peace Treaty

42:41 Macedonian Rise and Greek Response

44:21 Greek History and Popular Culture

01:02:22 Spartan Military Myths

01:10:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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INTERVIEW: r/AskHistorians mod Talks Ancient Greek Warfare with Us [Guest Roel Konijnendijk]!

Hey guys, welcome back to the Why Wars Happened History Podcast, where you learn about the causes of wars and things like, why did it happen? Was it inevitable? Who was involved?

Sometimes I go back hundreds of years just so we can understand what happened in our narrative episodes covering the long course of a war and the background of the war. And if you want to talk more about war, we also have authors, historians, war generals, royalty, actors, filmmakers, a whole bunch of people come on as guests and we talk about everything about before, during, and after war. So let's go!

The Why Wars Happened History Podcast covers The American Revolution, World War I, World War II, Medieval Wars in England, The Habsburg Empire, The War in Iraq, Scottish wars, The War of the Roses, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Cold War, The Thirty Years War, The Hundred Years War, The American Civil War, and many others.

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