What is your favourite Ancient and modern battle and why?

Question

Please give reasons

Answer 1

The Battle of Thermopylae has long been the topic of cultural inspiration, as it is perhaps the most famous military last stand of all time. This "against all odds" story is passed to us from the writings of the Greek Herodotus, who was not present at the battle himself. He relates the story of 300 Spartans and 700 Thespiae defending the Pass of Thermopylae against almost "2 million" Persians for three days.

Although modern historians have questioned the numbers presented by Herodotus, with most agreeing at around 150,000 invaders, the story has resonated with authors and poets for centuries. The bravery and resolution of the Spartans is inspiring.

The performance of the defenders at the battle of Thermopylae is often used as an example of the advantages of training, equipment, and good use of terrain to maximize an army's potential, and has become a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. Even more, both ancient and modern writers used the Battle of Thermopylae as an example of the superior power of a volunteer army of freemen defending native soil.

I learned of the Spartans in my seventh grade. I remember it, I remember it well. It is somehow attached to my teacher "Mr Roman". It is attached to all the beautiful things I then learned.

The Greek phrase "Μολών λαβέ" ("molon labe", or "come and take them"), a quote attributed to Leonidas at the battle, has been repeated by many later generals and politicians in order to express an army's or nation's determination to not surrender without a battle.

Answer 2

As far as ancient battles, I must say my favorite is the battle in very early Roman history when the Sabine women were stolen by the Roman men and made into Romans. By the time the Sabine men came to Rome to reclaim their wives and daughters, several of the women had given birth to children and several more were pregnant. Caught between their fathers and ex-husbands and their new husbands, they stepped in the middle and held their babies saying that the men must kill the women and children before they killed each other. The men formed a treaty, thus adding a lot of families to a city that was all men before.

As far as modern battles are concerned, I have to say I like Verdun. If a man impregnated his wife the day before he entered the trenches at Verdun, the child was born around the time he came out. The battle lasted nine months. It was the first really crazily long battle in a modern war. The advances were so small that eventually the Germans just plain got bored and attacked elsewhere instead.

Answer 3

I've always been fascinated with ancient battles. The one I'll choose here is the Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC) fought between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great which permanently swung the momentum during that particular Roman civil war towards Caesar, culminating in his ultimate victory 3 years later in Spain (Battle of Munda). Caesar was outnumbered, had just escaped disaster a month earlier at the Battle of Dyrrhachium, yet managed through his own power of personality and abiding loyalty of his troops to crush Pompey's army, forcing him to flee to Egypt where he was subsequently murdered.
As far as modern battles, of which I'm not sure what you conclude is 'modern', I'd pick Waterloo. It's impact in finally quelling Napoleon's desire for Empire and bringing peace to Europe has been very well documented. So many accounts have been written that it seems if you research it enough, you can picture yourself viewing it as it takes place. Also, it shows the tactical superiority of the Duke of Wellington, and the value of international military cooperation (British, Dutch-Belgian and Prussian).

Answer 4

My favorite is both ancient and modern: The Battle of the Bulge.

Answer 5

The battle of Groenwald between the Polish and the Knights of Europe and the catholic world for the control of the famouse amber trail. Such stamina to be able to do battle all day. I have a hard time getting out of the car and walking into a store to get a coke.

Answer 6

How ancient do you want?
Cunaxa in 401 BC - - - Cyrus the Younger was totally played by the brilliant Artaxerxes whio won the battle but history has a habit of being distorted and so it has been erronously reported that somehow Cunaxa was testimonial to Greek greatness when in truth it was The Persian who was the Victor. The battle was a vivid display of over confidence by Cyrus the Younger whose arrogance led to his death. ANd on a crude juvenile level - - - Cunaxa.

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~ancientpersia/cunaxa.html
""In contrast to popular understanding, Artaxerxes, with the help of Tissaphernes, won at Cunaxa by deliberately isolating and neutralizing the Greek hoplites and forcing Cyrus into a desperate suicidal attack on the King. Unfortunately the stubborness of the Greeks to accept defeat, and the inability of both sides to overcome ethnic and cultural biases, led to the unneccessary loss of many lives in the Greek's courageous, but wasted retreat."""


Then I'll cite The Battle of Hastings for the sheer drama of Duke Versus King - - - what is often forgotten about the Norman Conquest is that Harold of Wessex spent a few months as William's unwilling guest and so the Battle was Personal. William was regally p-o ed that Harold 'ignored a sacred oath,' and accepted election to be England's king.
(Yes Elected - - - albeit by the Nobility but it was an Election).
William was 'the Decider' of the Day. He stormed England's shores and fought brilliantly. As much as I 'like' Harold, he blundered by noit resting his soldiers. Harold set a land speed record racing from Northern Britain to the South at Hastings after a magnificient Battle & Victory over Harald Harada of Norway. Hasty Harold lost his eye then he lost his life at Hastings after a grunt match that would have exhausted the other answerer. Shield against shield neither side would yield until Williams unleashed a ruse while his archers let loose with a rain of arrows.

Truly modern Battles. A bit harder to 'like.' Too pragmatic, stretching over several days, hazy and confusing. Using my brain to sift through ifo I will have to go with 'The Battle of Midway' which was a true turning point. The sheer doggedness of American sailors and airmen made it imposible for Japan to win the war. America made mistakes and learned from those mistakes. The Japanese made the same mistakes over and over and lost. Midway showed the way to Victory.

Peace...

Answer 7

The battle of Trebia where Hannibal Barca invaded the Roman empire and defeated Scipio and Sempronius, dual commanders of the Roman legions. Hannibal was a brilliant commander and fought on his own terms. He chose where to fight and when. Plus, he marched elephants over the Alps, how cool is that?

Also, D-Day. It took the Germans years to erect the Atlantic Wall. It took the Allies only a day to defeat it. But at a terrible price.

Answer 8

LOL - The Battle of Hattin, 1187, and the seige of Jerusalem right after it - because so many chroniclers have covered it, and there's this one that's gives an absolutely ridiculous full-page poetic description of the twisted ligaments and caved-in skulls and spit knees. Seriously, just a page-long fancily-worded description of gore.
The story's really complicated, too - huge religious significance, tons of intrigue with a jerk everyone hates versus a leper king, and Saladin...

Oy - I feel pretty guilty naming a favorite battle, though! So many people died. I don't have a fav. modern battle, and that's probably why - it feels to close for me to like studying it.

Answer 9

define "best". Do you mean the biggest? Or the main influential? conflict of the Bulge exchange into not something, neither super, nor super. Saratoga did not exchange that plenty. The others on your record are extra substantial nevertheless. in terms of organic scale of conflict, form of fellows in conflict, casualties inflicted then you definately ought to incorporate the battles of Kursk, Verdun, Somme, Stalingrad.

Answer 10

All battles took lives. I can't have a favorite. D Day was an important one, so I will choose it. ( June 6th, 1944 )