Battles That Changed History
18 battles
These pivotal engagements altered the course of civilization. Each one toppled empires, redrawn borders, or redirected the flow of culture and technology for centuries to come.
What links these battles?
Most battles decide a campaign; a few decide the direction of whole civilizations. This collection gathers the engagements historians most often name as turning points: Marathon and Salamis, which kept Greek city-states independent of Persia; Gaugamela, which handed Alexander an empire; Hastings, which reshaped England's language and law; and Stalingrad, Midway and D-Day, which turned the Second World War. Each entry explains what was at stake, why the result was not inevitable, and what changed afterwards. It is a good place to start if you are new to military history, because these are the battles other events are measured against.
The 18 battles in this collection
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