Without these women things would have been much more violent.

The Rape of the Sabines - The Invasion (1871) shows the last of three works by Charles Christian Nahl, and it shows how the Sabine women interfere in a bloody battle between the Romans and the Sabines.

The paintings show scenes from the early days of Rome, when Romulus was in charge. Rome had just been founded, but there were mostly men living in this new settlement. So, the Romans decided to attract some women to their town, which eventually resulted in them abducting many Sabine women which they would marry. The abduction can be seen in the second image here.

The Romans married the Sabine women who gradually warmed up to their new husbands, as shown in the last image (all painted by Nahl between 1870 and 1871).

The Sabines obviously were not happy that the Romans abducted their women and attacked Rome. A bloody battle was about to ensue, but at some point, the Sabine women entered the battlefield to stand in between the armies of their husbands (the Romans) and their fathers and brothers (the Sabines).

 Without these women things would have been much more

To Arms! (1888) was painted by Edmund Leighton. It shows a young knight and his bride leaving the church right after their their marriage ceremony. The young couple's parents stand on the Church steps and see how a knight in full armor informs the newlywed groom of impending war and his need to join the fight.

It is one of a series of paintings by Leighton about the medieval code of chivalry. The knight obviously had no choice during that time and he will have to join the fight.

 Your wife or your country first? To Arms! (1888) was

Joan of Arc liked her banner 40 times better than her sword.

In 1903, Albert Lynch made this arresting engraving of the Medieval hero.

It is full of symbolism, but it is the strangely modern feel that makes the biggest impression to me.

 Joan of Arc liked her banner 40 times better than her

Edmund Leighton captured the charm, curiosity, and admiration of the British after their soldiers successfully returned from the Battle of Waterloo.

"In 1816" was painted around 1895, and makes us one of the bystanders on a balcony witnessing this jubilant scene.

 Edmund Leighton captured the charm, curiosity, and

When the Gauls surrendered to Julius Caesar in 52 BC.

Just look at that magnificent Percheron horse and the Gaul on top of it!

Vercingetorix Throws Down his Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar (1899) was painted by Lionel Royer (1852-1926).

 When the Gauls surrendered to Julius Caesar in 52 BC. Just

Instead of two cities fighting each other with many casualties, the Romans decided that it was better to do a 3 v 3.

Oath of the Horatii (1784) by Jacques Louis David shows how the three Horatii brothers salute their father to fight on behalf of Rome against three brothers from their opponent's (Alba Longa) city.

The Horatii brothers would win the battle in this Roman legend in the end, but two brothers would die in the fight.

 Instead of two cities fighting each other with many

With an apocalyptic sky like this, you know something special is happening in the world!

This masterpiece by Albrecht Altdorfer (1480-1538) shows the Battle of Alexander the Great at Issus in 333. It was a decisive victory of Alexander over Darius III of Persia.

This work is on display in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

 With an apocalyptic sky like this, you know something

Kosovo Maiden (1919) by the Serbian artist Uroš Predić (1857–1953) is inspired by an epic poem with the same name and has become a symbol of female compassion, help, and charitable work.

The scene takes place in 1389, after a battle between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire. A beautiful maiden, who we can see in this painting, decided to search the battlefield for her fiancé. And on her way, she helps the wounded warriors by providing them with water, bread, and wine.

Eventually, she meets the warrior in this painting, named Pavle Orlović. He is not going to make it but is able to tell the maiden that her fiancé (and his two blood-brothers) died in the battle.

 Compassion on the battlefield. Kosovo Maiden (1919) by the

Battle of Chesme at Night (1848) by Ivan Aivazovsky shows the Russian-Turkish naval battle that took place on July 5-7, 1770.

It was part of the on Russo-Turkish War between 1768–1774, and Aivazovsky tried to reimagine this scene under a moonlit sky. During this battle, the Russian used some so-called fire-ships, which were small vessels intended to put the enemy ships on fire. One of those ships could reach the Turkish fleet, and you can see the result here.

Aivazovsky was specialized in seascapes and painted his fair share of battle scenes. But he created many more paintings (literally thousands) in which he focused on capturing the state of the sea and its waves under different weather conditions. He was a true master in capturing the sea and was a professor of seascape painting during his life. And you can still see that in some of the waves he painted in this work.