Foot Soldier

A look at the history of ancient Egypt's fighting forces, the world's first organized group of soldiers.

The warriors of ancient Greece, from the warring city-states of Athens and Sparta to the Macedonians under Philip II and Alexander the Great.

The warriors of ancient Rome, who established an empire from Scotland to Saudi Arabia before succumbing to invasions of Germanic peoples in the 5th century.

A look at “The Barbarians,” the warriors who lived on the fringes of ancient Greece and eventually put a halt to Roman expansion. Originally, the word applied to those who spoke a different language than their more “civilized” opponents.

A look at the knights of medieval Europe who pledged loyalty to their kings and fought for feudal lords in their quests for land and power. And though chivalry was the order of the day, not everyone wore shining armor.

A study of Vikings, who, though they were known for their seafaring abilities, were also fierce warriors on land, and their influence spread across Europe and parts of North America.