Within the intricate landscape of the Portuguese periodical press, the Revista Militar [Military Magazine] occupies an indisputable position, particularly when considering specialised publications, especially those of a military nature. It is a periodical that is well versed in all military sciences but which has never neglected to analyse current affairs in detail over the years. Having always been published in Lisbon, it is regarded as the oldest military press outlet in the world that has been in continuous operation to this day.

By way of an introduction to these issues, we cannot regard the Ordens do Dia [Agendas] or the Colecção das Ordens do Dia [Collection of Agendas] (1809-1835), first compiled by the English marshal William Beresford (1768-1854), as a periodical in any precise sense. As the title implies, this publication brought together numerous contributors, offering military information dedicated to the smallest details of military life. Published daily, this practice remains a tradition in Portuguese military units to this day. These editions were later continued by the Ordem do Exército [Army Order], but other different titles appeared, including the Almanaque Militar : Parte I [Military Almanac: Part I] (Lisbon, 1809), the Lista dos Oficiais do Exército [List of Army Officers] (Lisbon, 1811-1812), the Lista dos Oficiais das Milícias [List of Militia Officers] (Lisbon, 1811-1812), the Almanaque das Ordenanças [Almanac of Ordinances] (Lisbon, 1815), the Almanaque Militar ou Livro dos Quartéis [Military Almanac or Book of Barracks] (Lisbon, 1817-1822), the Almanaque Militar ou Lista Geral dos Oficiais do Exército de Portugal [Military Almanac or General List of Portuguese Army Officers] (Lisbon, 1817-1822), etc. In an already strictly journalistic format, the pioneering spirit of A Guarda Nacional de Lisboa [Lisbon National Guard] (1837), the Military Newspaper (Lisbon, January-February 1841), the Jornal dos Facultativos Militares [Newspaper of Military Voluntary Service] (Lisbon, January 1843-December 1844) and "another" Jornal Militar [Military Newspaper] (Lisbon, November 1845-September 1846), among other ephemeral periodicals. The first issue of Revista Militar was published in January 1849, which since then has made it possible to bring together an indispensable heritage for the study of national and international military history over the last century and a half. Issue 2566 (November 2015), corresponding to the 2nd season (since 1905), is currently in print. The Revista Militar began its activities as an organ under the auspices of the Empresa da Revista Militar, established on 1 December 1848 at the initiative of then-Lieutenant of Engineering António Maria de Fontes Pereira de Melo (1819-1887), who was serving in the Royal Corps of Engineers. Grouping together 26 army and navy officers as founding members—whose names were compiled by Inocêncio Francisco da Silva [ DBP vol. VII, 1862, pp. 151-154], who held high positions in the military hierarchy, in public administration, and in Portuguese cultural and scientific circles.

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