Okay, Hollywood may have been giving us misleading portrayals about the following warrior groups listed below. But sometime in the past, these mighty, muscle-bound folks actually existed with the reason of conquering, defeating and slaughtering anyone who would be foolish enough to walk over them in their strolls. Who do you think among these bunch is the best ancient army?
ROMANS
753 BC – 476 AD
Europe, North Africa, Middle East
With a reach and power that extended into approximately 2000 years, the army of the Roman empire might just be easily declared as the greatest. While most ancient armies rely only on raw physical power and tangible weapons, the Romans engineered war equipment that are far deadlier than most armies employ – complex compositions, cunning organisation, and clever tactics.
Unleashing these while conserving a core of lasting traditions in the process, the Empire of Rome, has still managed to maintain its popularity even to this day.
VIKINGS
790 – 1066 AD
Scandinavia
Unlike other warrior groups who are mostly exclusive to a single country or empire, the Vikings encompass various geographical regions, most notably within those that that we come to know as Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark).
So are they deadly warriors? A loud 'yes' might just be the answer of any historian because aside from their fascinating naval skills and their “carry your weapon at all times” mantra, Vikings were historically recorded as fighters who intoxicate themselves with hallucinogenic mushrooms that can reprogram their psychological profiles.
This make them fearless and very effective in disorienting attacks that can subdue even the strongest and hardest of foes.
SPARTANS
600 – 371BC
Greece
Even in these modern times, the term 'Spartan' is being cemented as synonymous to bravery and toughness. Why? Because as soon as a male Spartan child becomes fit enough to stand and clench his fist, he is immediately sent to boot camp where he will be ushered into a form of manliness that would remain unequaled for generations.
With a militia that can handle a tenfold of its number, a single Spartan soldier is not to be messed with. He is content enough to return home with his shield, or on top of it.
PERSIANS
550 BC - 651 AD
Middle East
As a group of people that has been around for thousands of generations and because they have had various interracial engagements, quantifying the ancient military aspect of Persia is quite challenging.
However, that can't dispute the fact that their empire has been regarded as one of the strongest in history. With vast amounts of wealth and properties, they have resources and war-waging powers that can shake the earth literally.
This made them capable of efficiently subduing their enemies either by luring them, or scaring them into submission. Where glittering and tempting material offers fail, their very massive army will then offer the harsh alternative.
MONGOLS
1206 – 1368 AD
Central Europe, Siberia, Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Iranian Plateau, Arabia
Having built and empire that was arguably described as the largest in history, the Mongolian army is one solid proof that oriental warriors are never inferior to the white ones or to any other color for that matter.
With war campaigns that pitted them against the most powerful armies in their time, they are known for unleashing smart tactics such as keeping the enemy at bay by their well-coordinated war formations and by shooting arrows at calculated distances. They are also known for capturing the war engineers of their enemies so they can build better weapons and conceive stronger defensive methods.
Throughout the centuries, their heirs have dispersed into various countries which happened to be the most powerful ones including Russia, and China. This makes it clear that their ancestors are among the halls of the toughs and the greats.
OTTOMANS
1299 – 1414 AD
Southeast Europe, Western Asia, Caucasus, North Africa
Popularly referred now as 'The Turks,' the Ottoman army is one of the most advanced in the world, being the first one to use cannons and muskets in the battlefield.
They are also said to have employed similar tactics that the Mongols have been using such as pretending to retreat and then surprise the enemy with the other surrounding forces.
With styles that are clearly more about brains than brawns, the Turkish soldiers are pioneers of the modern warfare tools that the rest of the nations of the world are now using.
AZTECS
Central Mexico
1110 – 1525 AD
With politics as its primary driving force and with religion as its second, the Aztec warriors were of a different drive when engaging in war than the other warriors on this list.
Like the Spartans, their warriors are trained in an early age. As they gain advancement in years, they will be hailed in greater honor based on the number of captives they can get and by how they can offer those captives as a sacrifice to their gods, among others.
The ancient warriors in other parts of the world are mostly heavily armored. Aztecs however wear loincloths and lightweight fabrics – an ironic fact considering their people live and breath combat in almost every day of their lives.
CELTS
800 – 450 BC
Europe
They are the people of the Iron Age and Medieval Europe, and according to historians, they invade and slay not for territorial expansions or for political reasons. They just go for it because they want to hunt, and have a great time toying with their enemies.
On rare occasions when they would engage in semi-political raids, they do it for monetary and economical reasons only. What makes them even more different from other ancient armies is that they wage war with no military science at all.
They just attack for the sake of attacking, mimicking the methods of the wild animals they see around. Their methods are unpredictable and challenging to anticipate, and these make them a deadly foe to trifle with.
ASSYRIANS
2500 – 612 BC
Middle East
Emerging from the Mesopotamian regions, the Assyrian race is one of the earliest civilizations known to man. In spite of it being an early empire, the Assyrians managed to come up with disturbing propaganda to disorient the enemy.
They are known to advertise the results of their victories by creating paintings that depict gory details – entire villages burned at stake or being skewered like cattle. For this reason, they are known as the first to harness the effectiveness of scare tactics.
Even with weapons and methodology that are far too crude to be compared to the other warriors after them, the Assyrians can't still be discredited as the most feared army of their time.
HUNS
100 AD – 700 AD
Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia
Considered to be a nomadic people, the Huns are ever ready for physical combat in almost every portion of their existence since they can never guess who might they cross paths with along the way.
With weapons that they may have just forged and obtained from their fallen enemies, and with clothing that they stitch up from the cattle that they raised, they are adept in utilizing whatever available resources for their survival.
This means that a typical member of the Hunnic warriors is a natural born toughie that can be any rival warrior's worst nightmare. Historians deduced that the Huns' dominance was a short-lived one, but they are still worthy of being called as one of the best warrior groups in world history.
Which do you think among them should be declared as number 1?