The first UA Little Rock Evenings with History lecture of the fall 2022 semester will explore the purpose of Greek and Roman warfare in ancient history.

Dr. Edward Anson, professor of history at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will present, “We are the Champions: Terrorism, Body Counts, and the Ultimate Purpose of Ancient Warfare” from 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock. Refreshments will be served at 7 p.m., and the talk will begin at 7:30 p.m.

In ancient literature, war is lamented for producing misery, but not condemned as a practice. Dr. Anson will discuss how it was seen as the right of the victor to do what they wanted to the defeated, including murder and enslavement if they saw fit. This was considered acceptable conduct, and ancient armies used that knowledge to dominate their enemies, maintain power and supremacy, and scare the weak.

The Evenings with History series, sponsored by the University History Institute, features presentations by UA Little Rock faculty and guest speakers sharing their research and teaching interests. Admission to the series is by subscription, but visitors are welcome to attend individual talks for free. UA Little Rock students may attend free of charge.

For more information, people may contact historyinstitute@ualr.edu, 501-916-3236, or visit https://ualr.edu/history/history-institute.