Society of Ancients

The Society of Ancients ( SoA) is an international, non-profit organization based in the UK that aims to promote interest in Ancient & Medieval history and wargaming, covering the periods from 3000BC to 1500AD.

The Society publishes a bi-monthly journal entitled Slingshot. Membership proceeds are used, among other things, to fund the publication of the magazine and to sponsor wargames competitions which fall within the society's remit. The Society commonly has a presence at large conventions across the UK and overseas.

Founded in 1965 by Tony Bath, the Society started with 20 members [http://www.soa.org.uk/aboutFounder.asp The Society of Ancients] . During the next decade it increased in membership by at least 50% every year. [The Ancient Wargame Charles Grant p151] . Since then its growth has continued - currently it has a worldwide membership of more than 1200. Early members included the actor Deryck Guyler, the academic George Gush, Tony Bath and Phil Barker, co-creator of the many sets of rules published by WRG including the De Bellis Antiquitatis wargames rules.

Slingshot

Slingshot; the Society's journal, some of the articles are quite technical - ancient military maneuvers, ancient arms and armor and similar, as well as material specifically about wargaming, such as rules and war game reports. [The Ancient Wargame Charles Grant p151] Contributing writers include noted historians [eg Adrian Goldsworthy slingshot 186,187 and Boris Rankov Slingshot 257] .

Initially it was edited by Tony Bath and indeed was produced by him with the help of his wife using a borrowed duplicator. When this fell through, Tony Bath was able to purchase cheaply a spirit duplicator with which it was produced from May 1965. [Slingshot Issue 5] From March 1969 it has been commercially printed. [Slingshot Issue 16 p 1]

External links

* [http://www.soa.org.uk The Society of Ancients Website]

Notes