Searching for the First Private Armies in History (feat. Prof. Morillo)

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The names of the first recorded mercenaries in history might have been UG-ni-ˇsa, Warad-Sîn, or Namram-ˇsar¯ur. But if you look up any publicly accessible book about mercenaries, you’ll find other examples mentioned, like Nu.Banda Mardune, an Amorite captain in the service of Sargon of Akkad in the 24th and 23rd century BC, or the Sherden Sea Pirates. What both these examples have in common is that they might have been “soldiers who voluntarily fought for profit.” That’s the definition of mercenaries provided by most dictionaries, but the expert joining us today has a different take. “That’s again that sloppy use of, ‘ah they hired some people, that makes them mercenaries.’ But that’s such a loose use of the term— mercenaries. It confuses more than it clarifies.” This is Stephen Morillo, an expert on defining different types of military service. We thank him for agreeing to an interview with us. With his help, we’re going to explain who actually qualifies as a mercenary and who doesn’t. Then, we’re going to dig deep into the archaeological records and search for the true beginning of what is often labeled the second-oldest profession in history.

Chapters:
00:00 The Names of the First Mercenaries (Intro)
01:11 The First Mercenaries in History
04:14 What is a Mercenary, actually?
16:08 The Earliest Records of Mercenaries in History
20:06 A Small Army of True Mercenaries?

Full length interview with prof. Morillo: https://www.patreon.com/posts/full-le...

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Some must read mlitary history books:
Ambrose, S. E., Band of Brothers: E Company, 2001. https://amzn.to/438ltvZ
Baime, A. J., The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman, 2017. https://amzn.to/3TcDGUj
Beard, M., Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World, 2023. https://amzn.to/49L2olR
Bevoor, A., Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943, 1999. https://amzn.to/4a4rqwe
Beevor, A., The Second World War, 2013. https://amzn.to/3wNFITu
Brennan, P+D., Gettysburg in Color, 2022. https://amzn.to/48LGldG
Clausewitz, C., On War, 2010. https://amzn.to/3Vblf5
Kaushik, R., A Global History of Pre-Modern Warfare: 10,000 BCE–1500 CE, 2021. https://amzn.to/49Mtqt7
McPherson, J., Battle Cry of Freedom, The Civil War Era, 2021. https://amzn.to/3TseYAW
Tsu, S., The Art of War, 2007, https://amzn.to/3TuknHA
Sledge. E. B., With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, 2008. https://amzn.to/439olIK
Pomerantsev, P., How to Win an Information War, 2024. https://amzn.to/3Ts0YqQ

Bibliography:
Cline, E. H. and O’Connor, D. (2011) “The Mystery of the Sea Peoples,” in O’Connor, David and Quirke, Mysterious Lands (2011) 107–39.
Cohen, M. E., A Small Old Babylonian Army of A-pí-ru-ú in: Ann Guinan et al. (editor): If a Man Builds a Joyful House: Assyriological Studies in Honor of Erle Verdun Leichty 2006, p. 63–86.
Burckhardt, L. (Basle) and Campbell, J. Brian (Belfast), “Mercenaries”, in: Brill’s New Pauly, Antiquity, English Edition by: Christine F. Salazar, Classical Tradition volumes edited by: Manfred Landfester, English Edition by: Francis G. Gentry. Online.
Emanuel, J., Šrdn of the Sea: A Reassessment of the Sherden and their Role in Egyptian Society (Archaeological Institute of America Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, 2012).
Hamblin, J. W., Warfare in the Ancient Near East to 1600 BC. Holy Warriors at the Dawn of History, 2006.
Hall, J. Brouwers, J., Mercenaries in the ancient world, in Ancient World Magazine.    • Mercenaries in the ancient world  
Hebblewhite, M. and Whately, C., Brill’s Companion to Bodyguards in the Ancient Mediterranean https://brill.com/display/title/63599
Luraghi, Nino Traders, Pirates, Warriors: The Proto-History of Greek Mercenary Soldiers in theEastern Mediterranean, 2006, Vol. 60, No. 1/2 (Spring - Summer, 2006), pp.21-47.
Morillo, S., Mercenaries, mamluks and militia - towards a cross-cultural typology of military service, France, John (editor), The Mercenary Identity in the Middle Ages (History of Warfare, Band: 47) 2008, pp. 243–260.
Singer, P. W., Corporate Warriors. The Rise of the Privatized Military Industry. Updated Edition, 2008.
Taulbee, J. L., Reflections on the mercenary option, Small Wars & Insurgencies Volume 9, 1998 - Issue 2, pp. 145-163.
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