Mongol military film project includes professor

Dr. Timothy May, associate dean of the College of Arts & Letters and professor of Central Eurasian history at the University of North Georgia (UNG), provided insight and expertise in a British film project highlighting the Mongolian military.

May said he is contacted by production companies several times a year with a random question or an invitation to be more heavily involved. 

"This project all started one morning in May 2022 when I was contacted by Lion TV, the British production company, who said they were currently producing a three-part series for the Smithsonian Channel. Dr. Jeff Marker, who was involved with the project, recommended me because Lion needed someone to talk about the Mongol military, and that's my specialty," May said.

Lion filmed at UNG's Dahlonega Campus and out at R Ranch in Lumpkin County, Georgia. The 85-minute documentary aired on ARTE, a French broadcasting company, earlier this year and received favorable reviews. Marie Favereau (the French scholar in the show) was the one who encouraged Lion TV to reach out to May.

The Smithsonian Channel is currently airing the first of three 45-minute parts.

Students under the direction of Dr. Jeff Marker, director of UNG's School of Communication, Film & Theatre in the College of Arts & Letters, assisted as runners and received advice and insight from the director and film crew. 

Working on this project was a great learning experience for me and I would say it kick started my career and got me ready to work with WarnerBros Discovery. I am extremely thankful that I got to work with Dr. May and everyone else on set.

Jill Wellmann, '22

UNG alumna

May said he shot fire arrows and played out some Mongol tactics with some UNG cadets and members of the Military Science department. He has worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Korean broadcasting system, and National Geographic. May was also a part of "Deadliest Warrior," a television program on historical or modern warriors and their weaponry.

"There's much to be learned about the Mongol military. After World War I, there were several military theoreticians who advocated to study the Mongols and the study of military history for officers and for planners because no one wanted to go through the horrors of trench warfare and static warfare in general again, so the idea of mobile warfare was quite intriguing," May said.

The Mongols created the largest contiguous empire in the world. They expanded rapidly, taking over most of Eurasia, and lasted for quite a while. No one had ever seen a military force like them that was so thoroughly dominant, May said.

"Many of their contemporaries viewed them more of a force of nature," May said.

May credits his many published books — some with British publishers — as the reason he is used as an expert source.

"The fact that they asked me to do these things tells me I must be doing something right," May said. 

Reading a book on Mongols in the fifth grade got May "on the Mongol track," and he admits he never left. What specifically it is that piques his interest about the ancient warriors is a secret.

"Well, that's something I talk about in the show, so you'll have to watch it," May said.