Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

Product Description
The Gallic campaigns firmly established Julius Caesar as one of the greatest commanders of all time. In this history, Theodore Dodge, one of the only military historians to have visited every one of the great general's known battlefields, makes full use of other chronicles and supplements them with his insightful descriptions of the battles. 253 illus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Hail Caesar
This is the second book by Dodge I have read and it is as good as the first, which was Hannibal. Mr. Dodge goes into fascinating detail of Caesar's campaigns throughout Gaul, Britain, Germania, and finally along the Dalmatian coast against Pompey. Very detailed not only in military tactics but also the political ramifications Caesar caused on the Roman republic. A very fine read.

Good book.
This is a very good and interesting book. I have read other books by this author, and they are generally interesting.

A Detailed History
This book is for those who enjoy ancient history, with an emphasis on military warfare.Dodge rams enough facts and figures down your throat for understanding, but manages at the same time to make it interesting.It is very informative of Caesar's life and the way in which he ran the most dominant army of his time.

Library Adition
I have found this book to be an excellent addition to my library on Roman History with the focus on Julius Caesar

True title should be:CAESAR'S ART OF WAR
No politics, no love story featuring that useless midget Cleopatra. This book is a hard-core military book. Features very detailed accounts of the Campaigns of Julius Caesar.
Buy this book if you want to learn about how Caesar fought wars.Detailed information about on how he designed defensive perimeters, how he made camp, how long trenches were, etc..
Also includes how he made siege on enemy fortifications and laid waste to way too many peoples.
You will learn the many goods, a few bads, and the one ugly (exterminated a whole race in Gaul) on Caesar. ... Read more

Product Description
This authoritative, fact filled history traces the growth of the Roman army fromits earlydays as an unpaid citizen's mililtia to its establishment as a world conquering professional force. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Really low brow. Not worth it.
Uh, I hate witing bad reviews. Hated it in the Navy, and hate it now. I've studied the Roman army since I was about 10 years old, I' 38 now. This book has got to be the biggest waste of time. It's like cliff notes for the Roman Army. There were things in the book that I just couldn't believe they were so outlandish. The author spends more time denigating the Roman Army than on anythig else. Roman Legionaires were scared of everybody they fought, and most of the people they fought were either better fighters or more technologically advnced? What! So sorry, but this book is garbage.

a big disappointment
when i first ordered this book, i thought i would get a detailed description of the Roman army's legions, wars, and campaigns, as the title suggests. but don't let the title fool you. its actually a rough summery of the Roman empire. very little on the actual wars, legions and campaigns. so if you are just getting into the Roman empire, and don't know much about it, buy this book. otherwise, you're wasting your money, like i did.

A glossy study of the Roman legion
A rather glossy book that discusses the Roman legion from approx Hannibal to the fall of the Western Empire. To those that know something of Rome you will find little new or orginal in the book but it makes a good introduction on the subject as the writer clearly knows his topic.

Great stuff
For the aficiendado who is interested in Rome, the legions and campaigns, the conquests, this is the best and newest book on the military aspects of Rome.Rome ruled an empire for almost 700 years and its legions were what made it successful, the decline of the legions and their replacement by third rate mercenaries spelled the end.This book catalouges all the famous campaigns, in Gaul, in Britian, in Judea, in Germania and against the Greeks and Carthaginians.An interesting book.

Seth J. Frantzman ... Read more

Product Description
This book is the concluding part of a rigorous study of theliterary, sculptural, pictorial and archaeological evidence for Roman military clothing, covering the last days of the Western Empire, and the much longer record of the Eastern, in the 5th to 7th centuries. The evidence from this enormously colourful period â€" when Germanic and Persian styles, first introduced by mercenaries, were widely adopted by Roman armies â€" is particularly rich. The textis illustrated with many photographs of rare textile finds, and mosaic artwork; with careful drawings of other figurative sources; and with Graham Sumner’s meticulous and dazzling colour reconstructions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Roman Military Clothing
I enjoyed this book and found it very interesting. I am interested in ancient history, so I would be interested in all aspects of their lives.

So few pages - this is not a book!
May be they should call it a booklet. There are only 48 pages from front to back (including the index page). There is very little useful written information and the few illustrations have no explanation. Unless you are doing research in this area and absolutely can't find any other source of information, I would say Don't Buy This. I now realize all the Men-At-Arms series are probably all the same. Instead of compiling all three Roman Military Clothing booklets into one half-respectable "book", they opted to split up the materials and make more money. If you are interested in Roman soldiers and what they wear, The Roman Legions recreated in colour photographs is at least a bit better - though I have issues with that book as well. I wasted my money on this one, hopefully you won't.

Roman clothing
As with all of this series it is well done and with great illustrations

Answer to the review of Mr. David S. Michaels
Mr. David S. Michaels,

Forgive me, but Your review about the book "Roman military clothing nr. 1" gives the impression of a very superficial and approximate knowledge of the Roman military word, archaeology and way of life.

Roman paintings, mosaics and sculptures provide us with a snapshot of the past as one can easily observe from the black and white images of soldiers in this book. Unfortunately we too often presume to know more than the people who lived 2000 years ago who saw these soldiers for themselves.

For instance the Praetorian guardsman illustrated in Plate F1 may at first seem fanciful and dubious but in my opinion this is one the best reconstructions of a Praetorian ever attempted. Every detail of the equipment is based on actual archaeological sources including the original Neronian painting where even the hinges of the lorica are visible! For example the helmet can be seen in the definitive publication on the Armour of Imperial Rome by H. Russell Robinson, the greaves from Pompeii and the bronze Lorica segmentata is based on recently discovered bronze specimens from Nova, Bulgaria. Linking the Praetorian with the Prasina faction in the circus with the inclusion of a green tunic adds a touch of historical realism. Moreover this link, attested by ancient written sources, confirmed by other artistical images, reminds us that the personal tastes of both Praetorians and Emperors existed in an age where modern concepts of uniform did not exist.

The black and white illustrations in this publication are a mine of information and many are made available for the general reader for the first time. These include a unique representation of a slave merchant and a Diogmitas or Para-military policeman of Asia minor. Incidentally the author categorically states that his conclusions on the tunic color debate will be summarized in the second volume in this series.

The fact that Caesar's cuirass is obscured by a cloak in one particular color plate is a pity, however the cuirass itself is described in the text and the book makes no claims to be anything other than a study of clothing. Moreover Caesar's tunic is evidently the same as the two other tunics illustrated in the same plate so if one wants to know what Caesar's tunic looked like, one only has to look at the tunic of Pompeius. If you need more information on the Armour of Caesar I personally recommend `L'esercito di Cesare', by C. Antonucci, EMI, Milan. The cuirass worn by a Legionary in Plate B is described in the text as `Kalkriese' type and Mike Bishop will undoubtedly explain information on this form of Armour in his forthcoming book on Roman body Armour.

Finally every impression of the Roman world is of course personal but I believe this is a very good attentive book, well researched with archaeological details never seen before. I hope that this series will be the beginning of the end of the modern view that Roman art was conventionalized, in particular with regards to depictions of Armour and military equipment and that Osprey continue along such a road.

Best wishes

Dr. Raffaele D'Amato - 38 years old
Searcher and scholar in military matters

Indispensible for the reenactor, gamer or historian
Having using this book as a resource for more than a year now, I have come to appreciate its value to the Roman reenactor, wargamer, and professional or amateur historian. After spending time going over the text in detail, I can only appreciate and admire the amount of painstaking research Mr. Sumner has compiled for this study.I admit to being a little miffed, initially, that Sumner did not once and for all end the vexing argument over the color of the Roman military tunic -- i.e. was it red, or white, or some other color, or was there no "uniform" color at all?In retrospect, if one reads between the lines, the evidence Mr. Sumner provides seems to advance the hypothesis that the Roman soldier wore a white tunic while "out of kit," and a red one under his armor when preparing for battle.The illustrations are quite nicely rendered, with an extraordinary amount of detail even by Osprey standards.In conclusion, this is definitely a worthwhile addition to the Roman military enthusiast's or reenactor's bookshelf. ... Read more

Product Description
Using timelines and illustrations throughout, this volume follows the succession of rulers of Imperial Rome. These portraits of the emperors form the building blocks of an invaluable and highly readable popular history of Imperial Rome, brought to life using the colorful testimony of contemporary authors. 328 illustrations, 111 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Awesome chronicle and enjoyale read
Great read on the Roman Emperors that covers a good amount of detail via fine narrative.Nice touch with a time line (bar form) running through the book to help keep the reader's "place" in history.

Read cover to cover, then have handy as a companion to Gibbon
I first read Scarre's Chronicle of the Roman Emperors cover to cover, to get the complete narrative of the western empire during the imperial period.He definitely hits the highlights in the main text which contains the narrative.The thematic topics are off to the side of the page, in gray boxes or timeline graphs.The dynastic family trees are very easy to follow.There could have been more maps, especially for the more military emperors like Trajan, but that is more my personal preference than an actual critique, since my primary interest is in military matters.All in all, I enjoyed the read-through, even though I often got distracted from the narrative by the thematic elements.But then again, I think the primary purpose of this book is to serve as a reference, so the thematic sections should appear near the relevant narrative text.

The greatest value I have gotten out of this chronicle, however, is as a companion to Gibbons's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.Reviewing Scarre for a particular emperor, before reading Gibbon's account of that emperor, proved invaluable to me since to fully enjoy the beauty of Gibbon's language, it helps very much to already have a fresh grasp of the subject matter.Scarre's Chronicle of the Roman Emperors allows you to do just that with minimal effort.

Great.
Fun to read, but also very informative.A good book for the non-speacilist who wants to learn more about history or simply get a good overview before taking a trip to Rome.

Good Reference Material

For anyone with even a passing interest in Roman history this book is an invaluable source of knowledge about the Roman Emperor's. Personally it helps to set the scene for me even if the book is a work of fiction if I can pin point the period of Roman history that is being written about and knowing what emperor was reigning in Rome and in what years is a sure fire way of pin-pointing the period in which the book is written.

Of course the book is so much more than a time scale of Roman history, there is also information regarding what wars if any were fought during a particular emperor's reign and what Roman building were attributable to any given emperor. The book covers the succession of 80 emperors, with biographical portraits of the 56 most notable ones. Names that leap out from the pages of the history books, Julius Caesar, Hadrian, Nero, all names to conjure with.

There are contemporary judgements made by writers of the time including Suetonius and Tacitus and these are balanced by character assessments made in the light of modern research. This is a book that is well worth having, not only for its reference capabilities but also it is a good read in its own right.

excellent for reading, browsing, or as a reference book
Replete with timelines, maps, sidebars, and photographs, this is a wonderful resource.Whether you're watching a DVD of "I, Claudius" or reading Gibbon, it's a highly useful reference book where you can get a quick read on any emperor.Often, I'll pull it down from the shelf to research a particular emperor, then find myself still reading it an hour later.

What I like best about it are the photographed busts of the emperors which along with the lively writing really bring the Roman rulers to life. They also allow one to trace the change in Roman art from the idealized classicism of Augustus to the grim realism of the mid 3rd century's portrait of Philip the Arab when the Empire was falling apart to the stolid and blank cartoonlike portrait of Constantine the Great in the 4th century when the Empire had been restored, but had become Christian and more medieval.

A real gem, this book is highly recommended for fans of Roman history. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

illustrations could be better, good one for 8-10 yr old boys
This is a good one but the illustrations are not quite as good as they could be. Good for boys with a genuine interest in the Roman Army, esp if they are around 8-10 years old. It's factual but not amazingly fun or as engaging as a book on this topic could be. As there are not that many kids' books on this topic around I am happy I got it, but still, it could have been done better.

A Solid Book About the Roman Army
"The Roman Army" reminds me of a children's version of an Osprey Military Uniform book.The strength of the book is its focus on the material culture of the Roman Legionaire.There are many well done illustrations of the tools, armor and weapons of the ordinary soldiers.The story line follows a legionaire from recruitment, training and out onto the battlefield.This is all done very competently.However, any children's book on the Roman Army has to compare itself against any of Peter Connolly's magnificent books on the Roman Army.This is a good book but not in the same league as any of Peter Connolly's work.

Ideal reading for children ages 6 to 10
Ideal reading for children ages 6 to 10, Dyan Blacklock's The Roman Army is a wonderful introduction to the Roman army of the second century AD. Their responsibility was to protect and expand the Roman Empire. David Kennett's superbly illustrations perfectly showcase an informed and informative text. The Roman Army is a clearly recommended addition to any school or community library collection -- and "must" reading for any boy or girl wanting to know more about one of the most successful armies in antiquity. ... Read more

Product Description
In this new edition, with a new preface and an updated bibliography, the author provides a comprehensive and well-documented survey of the evolution and growth of the remarkable military enterprise of the Roman army.
Lawrence Keppie overcomes the traditional dichotomy between the historical view of the Republic and the archaeological approach to the Empire by examining archaeological evidence from the earlier years.
The arguments of The Making of the Roman Army are clearly illustrated with specially prepared maps and diagrams and photographs of Republican monuments and coins. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A good introduction
Keppie's work regarding the development of the Roman Army from the republic to the early principate does a good job of describing some of the aspects of the Roman Army: marching camp, weapons and organisation. Lacking any meaningful battle descriptions, and with somewhat long appendix section on mostly irrelevent material, nevertheless is a good introductory book for the beginner.

A good introductory guide
This is a good guide for anyone who is interested in how the Roman army functioned and how it changed over time.For specialists, this book will seem simple but for advanced undergraduates or disinterested graduate students the book is wonderful and I highly recommend it for them.Non-students should find it readable but may wish to consult other sources as well.Advanced graduate students who are more interested in military history will find it a bit boring.Overall well done and well written for the appropriate audience.

A Very Interesting and Educational Book
I think this book is very interesting because it tells everything about the Roman Army and information you never knew. It includes the great information about people like generals and great emperors like Julius Caesar and his conquest of Gaul.Also tells from what kind of armour they wear to what they used as a weapon.It also explains there stradegies in battle such as when they put there sheilds together and keeping out any flying objects.This book will teach you any type of questions you have about the Roman Army.If you are doing a big report on the Roman Army and you need info this is the book to get and read.It has the table of contents if you need something specific its very helpful in a report or speach of some sort as I said.You will learn the great generals of Rome and How they soon took over all of Europe.... So read the book and see for yourself.

nice addition to library
I found this book to be a nice companion piece to Graham Webster's The Roman Imperial Army. While Webster took the forensic approach to the Roman Army and focused on the physical structure ( armor, weapons, organization,forts, etc. ) Dr. Keppie looks at the evolution of the army from therepublic to the early Empire and the role the army played in thistransition both positive and negative. When read in conjucture with Dr.Webster the book fits in nicely. There are pictures, drawings, and layoutsof roman camps over diagrams of the archeological excavations of the actualforts and camps. This a very easy/pleasurable read and would make a niceadditon to one's personal library.

If this book is a bargin-grab it fast!
This book is a great reference for people interested in the Roman Army.Keppie describes the changes that took place within the army throughout the Republic.He includes pictures and diagrams of how the army set up beforebattle as well as pictures of the weapons and armor the legions were usingat that time.The bibliography is extensive for those interested infinding out more information.This is a book that is used by many otherbooks on the Roman army.Buy it now! ... Read more

Product Description
J.A.S. Evans examines the reign of the great emperor Justinian (527-565) and his wife Theodora, who advanced from the theatre to the throne.He chronicles the origins of the split between East and West, the results of which are still with us.The book goes on to look at social structure of sixth-century Byzantium and the neighboring empires.It also covers Justinian's wars, which restored Italy, Africa and a part of SPain to the empire. ... Read more

Product Description
The First Modern Biography of One of the Greatest Generals of All Time

"Hughes has written a lively and detailed account of Belisarius's remarkable career."--Adrian Goldsworthy, author of The Complete Roman Army

Belisarius (c. 505-565 AD) was the greatest general of the Eastern Roman Empire and is among history's most notable military personalities. At the age of 29, he twice defeated the Persians and reconquered North Africa from the Vandals, before going on to regain the Italian peninsula from the Ostrogoths, including the Eternal City, Rome. Fighting in the name of Justinian I, Belisarius recaptured large portions of the original territory of the ancient Roman Empire. However, Byzantium was both unwilling and incapable of retaining much of Belisarius's hard-won advances, and soon after his death, the empire once again retracted.

In Belisarius: The Last Roman General, historian Ian Hughes recounts the life of this great soldier. In addition, he explains the evolution of classical Roman armies and systems of warfare into those of the Byzantine Empire, as well as those of their chief enemies, the Persians, Goths, and Vandals. Based on ancient source and drawing on a wealth of modern research, Belisarius's career is set in the context of the turbulent times in which he lived and his reputation is reassessed to give a balanced portrait of this neglected giant among ancient commanders. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Thorough Research and Excellent Illustrations, but Lackluster Writing
Although the sixth century Roman general Belisarius is the hero of one of the finest military histories of late antiquity, along with a novel by Robert Graves and a string of lesser fictional works, he deserves to be better known to serious students of military history than he is.In the service of the eastern Roman Emperor Justinian the Great, Belisarius suppressed a massive popular uprising in Constantinople, successfully defended the Empire's frontiers against the Persians and Kutrigur Huns, and conquered the Vandal kingdom in north Africa and (less completely) the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy, briefly raising hopes of a restoration of Roman power in the West.He was also an unusually attractive personality who was revered by his troops, respected by his adversaries, and who remained faithful to an imperial master who envied and distrusted his popularity and a wife who repeatedly betrayed him.

Although Belisarius's life was dramatic and unusually well-documented - thanks to the extensive if sometimes conflicting portrayal of him in the writings of his onetime secretary, the historian Procopius of Caesarea -- the last biography of him (by the British parliamentarian Lord Mahon) appeared fully 180 years ago.Ian Hughes, an amateur British historian, has produced a new biography of Belisarius targeted towards readers who know little about the general or his time - the Mediterranean world of the middle third of the sixth century.The book was an obvious labor of love, and (in my view, if not in that of one of the other reviewers) Hughes's enthusiasm for his subject and delight in this project is obvious and touching.

The best aspect of Hughes' book is the conscientious production the author and Westholme Publishing have given it.There are 27 maps, 18 tactical diagrams of five major battles, 33 photographs and sketches, and 15 schematic drawings of weapons and armor types, along with a chronology and an appendix identifying more than 50 persons mentioned in the text.But while Hughes's book will prove informative for readers who are unfamiliar with this period, his writing is pedestrian.The first two chapters in particular are awkwardly written; despite my interest in the subject, I really had to push to get through them.Curiously, the writing improves after these opening chapters, although overall the quality of Hughes's prose can still only be described as serviceable.

This book is therefore best approached with an appropriate level of expectations.It provides a thorough account of its subject and constitutes a highly useful adjunct to the Loeb editions of Procopius's histories of Justinian's wars, which lack the maps and other illustrative material this volume so copiously provides.Westholme Publishing has also recently reprinted Lord Mahon's volume on Belisarius, and readers with a taste or tolerance for the grandeur and occasional fustiness of his late Georgian prose style may find it worth considering as well.

An enjoyable bio of a great general
Belisarius is a fascinating historical figure--a virtuous man in an age of strife, corruption, and transition--and the right hand man of the last great Roman Emperor, Justinian. Often compared to the greatest generals in history, Belisarius achieved more militarily, with fewer resources, than any general in history.

When I saw this new biography, I snapped it up immediately. Having read the previous biography by Lord Mahon written over 150 years ago, as well as the complete works of Procopius, the History of Agathias, the Chronicle of John Malalas, the Paschal Chronicle, etc., I was impressed with how Hughes made use of the considerable primary source material at his disposal. Most heartening of all, he does not rely overmuch on the scandalous "Secret History" and does not spend more time than is warranted on the supposed sexual escapades of Belisarius's wife, Antonina. To his further credit, Hughes avoids a particular bugbear of mine--blaming Pope Silverius for attempting to betray Rome to the Goths during the first siege. His overall historical grasp of the period seemed very impressive indeed.

Though Hughes's scholarship is not up to the level of Lord Mahon's encyclopedic 19th century standards, it is more than adequate to his purpose. He offers archaeological detail not available in Mahon's day, as well as a detailed look at the arms and armaments of the Persian, Vandalic, and Gothic antagonists of Belisarius. He does succumb to the modern tendency to disbelieve the numbers of troops given by the ancient historians and adjust them so that the victor is invariably shown to have an equal or greater number of troops on hand than the defeated party--a trend popularized by Hans Delbruck in the 19th century. Suffice it to say that I disagree strongly with this method of computation which is often done on the flimsiest of pretenses.

The book itself is an attractive artifact. The writing is good and the numerous illustrations are well placed and help bring the text to life. The inclusion of battle maps is a great boon and allows the reader to better visualize how the various actions developed. I felt that the work ended somewhat abruptly, and Hughes's cursory and dismissive treatment of the legend of the blind Belisarius begging for his bread was unwarranted, particularly considering the amount of effort his predecessor, Lord Mahon, took to prove the veracity of the legend.

Over all, I was well satisfied with this fair and even-handed treatment of Belisarius and recommend it to anyone interested in the man or his times. If this one piques your curiosity, you might also enjoy Lord Mahon's much denser Life of Belisarius, or the historical fiction biography of the general's early life, Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last. Or, you might just dive into the original histories written by Belisarius's secretary, Procopius, which make for great reading in their own right and are readily available in English translation. Start with History of the Wars, The Persian War and go on from there.

Not Perfect, But the Best Biography Available on a Great Man
First off, this book is a military history. Viewing it as anything else is going to be counterproductive. If you want a straight biography then you're just going to have to wait, or else you can read Lord Mahon's biography from the 1820s.

So, the good points first. As a military biography it works. It works quite well in fact. Thanks to Procopius we have a great deal more information on Belisarius' career than on anyone else in that century. Certainly more than we have for any non-Emperor. And Hughes understanding of the military aspect of his career is almost flawless. I don't know what the other reviewer was talking about, I thought his enthusiasm for the era came through quite well. The book progresses in chronological order starting with a chapter on the political situation in Western Europe at the time. It details what little is known about Belisarius' past and private life as well as the lives of the other major players in the book. Some of this information is really thrust at you. A rather longer introduction would probably have been advisable. This section is definitely the weakest in the book. Once it gets onto his battles though, things start to pick up. Each battle has a diagram of the troop formations which is immensely helpful in following what happens during battles. The battle descriptions are easy to understand and the author makes clear their context in the whole war. Throughout Belisarius comes across as an inspired military leader and an expert strategist, although Hughes believes that his tactical ability was not as great as some of Rome's early generals. There are a number of rather nice illustrations, but several of them are reconstructions and several more are taken from other books. It gives the book a hastily thrown together look and I wonder if there was a deadline involved.

The weaknesses of this book come about where it tries to be anything other than a military history. The political situation is rather rushed through (Although he does have interesting thoughts about Belisarius' wife Antonia and where she fit in) and the economic and social conditions are barely mentioned. This is the only reason I rate this book as less than five stars. If it had billed itself as a purely military biography I'd have given it that extra one. The other issue in terms of the Italian war is that it only covers the section where Belisarius is directly involved. There is an obvious reason for that, but it does make it confusing when he goes back. I'd recommend this book be read in conjunction with The Gothic War to get the full picture.

Good, but a small disappointment
There not being a full accounting of the life of the underappreciated Belisarius since that of Lord Mahon over 150 years ago, I was eagerly awaiting publication of this book.I really wanted to like it but it fell just short.

To be charitable, this book did not flow for me - you want the author's enthusiasm for the subject to pick you up and carry you through the narrative, but "Belisaurius, The Last Roman General" was somewhat flat.While not as dry as some books meant only a scholarly audience, neither does it soar like so many popular biographies.

On the plus side, Hughes does an excellent job interpreting the meager and contradictory primary sources.He presents all sides of any historical argument fairly and reaches rationale and compelling conclusions.Hughes does an excellent job of setting the scene of battle and describing the military capacities of each side.He finishes every campaign with a solid summary and evaluation of Belisauius' actions.For that alone, this book is well worth the price. I rated it three stars for average, but probably should have said three and a half stars for slightly above average.

Hughes convincingly makes the case that Belisarius was that rare blend of strategical and tactical genius, combined with a strong force of character.I think this book is not for the casual reader of biography, but will be of interest to those who love reading Roman and Byzantine history.To those readers, I would recommend this book.

The test of any biography is whether you feel as if you know and understand that person better after reading the book - unfortunately, I did not.I blame this as much on the dearth of good primary sources as anything else.But I fear poor unsung Belisarius will have to continue to wait for his consummate biography a little while longer.
... Read more

Product Description
Late Antiquity was an eventful period on the eastern frontier of the Roman empire. From the failure of the Emperor Julian's invasion of Persia in 363 AD to the overwhelming victory of the Emperor Heraclius in 628, the Romans and Persians were engaged in almost constant conflict.
This book, sequel to the volume covering the years 226-363 AD, provides translations of key texts on relations between the opposing sides, taken from a wide range of sources. Many have never before been available in a modern language, and all are fully set in context with expert commentary and extensive annotation. For more information please visit the author's supplementary website at http://aix1.uottawa.ca/~greatrex/ref.html ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good sourcebook, missing a few things
This is a good sourcebook, and I do not really a whole lot to say about it, as it does its job well. It covers the period from the rise of the Sassanians to the failure of Julian's campaigns. It has sources both familiar and obscure, but thankfully the obscure ones are made readily available in English translation, as some of the Arabic and Armenian sources (while very problematic) can be very difficult to acquire. The begins with a small discussion of the sources, listing each author and telling a little about them, such as when they wrote, what language they wrote in and where they were, all of which is indispensable for source analysis. It is also necessary for understanding some of the more obscure sources, for while there is a lot of information on someone like Ammianus Marcellinus, there is very little on Moses Khorenats'i.

Nonetheless, the book has a few flaws. The major one is its lack of visual sources. It calls itself a "documentary history", but with a few plates of the Naqs-i Rustam and Firuzbad would go a long way to providing some more sources from the Sassanian side, as very few exist in this period. This is not asking a whole lot. These rock reliefs provide a lot of information on how the Sassanian kings viewed themselves, and putting a few places is not much of a stretch. The maps also weren't all that great. They were fairly dark and important regions often vanished into the margins, as they were spread over a couple of pages. The one with Roman roads in Syria and Mesopotamia was the only one that was any good, as a cursory search did not turn up any more accessible maps of the Roman roads in that region. The fact that the maps are significantly better in the second volume suggests that this was a clear problem in the first volume, and the authors fixed it. My final criticism is that the book is not complete. You need a copy of Ammianus Marcellinus for the later chapters, because he is just summed up, and the text itself is not provided. The little snippets that they give are virtually useless on their own, but you can't understand the campaigns of Constantius II or Julian without Ammianus, so those sections of the books are incomplete at best. This was presumably done for copyright reasons, but there is no reason that the authors couldn't have made a new translation of the relevant sections, as Ammianus wrote in Latin. It would have expanded this volume significantly, but without Ammianus it is incomplete.

These quibbles are minor in comparison to how accessible many of the obscure Armenian, Arabic and later Byzantine histories have been made in regard to the Eastern frontier. This is a first-rate sourcebook, although it is not perfect. Highly recommended.

Indisposable!
This is an essential work for anyone who is interested in the Late Antiquity, Byzantine/Roman History, Sasanian/Iranian history, and the history of war and trade.

Prepared by two of the most well-known scholars of Late Antique history, the book is a delightful academic work which might appeal to the more serious lay audience as well. It escapes the usual dryness of sourcebooks and primary source collections by adding a narrative, providing background information for the events, and comparing the accounts.

The particular strength of the book lies in its use of the lesser known sources such as the Chronicle of Zuqnin or Zachariah of Mytilene.

In some cases, one can argue that better uses could be made of Middle Persian narrative sources and later accounts, although the credibility of those has been seriously questioned by many scholars.

Another possible issue with the book is the use of end-notes. While the decision of the editors to use them is understandable, the absence of extra notes as footnotes discourages one's reference to them and at times makes the work a little hard to understand. I seriously suggest a conversion of the endnotes to footnotes in the future editions.

Both Lieu and Greatrex should be thanked for this effort which is sure to become a classic and a handbook for all students. ... Read more

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Aspects of Roman History 82BC–AD14 examines the political and military history of Rome and its empire in the Ciceronian and Augustan ages. It is an indispensable introduction to this central period of Roman History for all students of Roman history, from pre-university to undergraduate level.

This is the first book since H.H. Scullard’s From the Gracchi to Nero, published two generations ago, to offer a full introductory account of one of the most compelling and vital periods in the history of Europe. Aspects of Roman History 82BC–AD14:

• brings to life the great figures of Pompey, Caesar, Antony, Cleopatra and Augustus, and explores how power was gained, used and abused
• covers the lives of women and slaves, the running of the empire and the lives of provincials, and religion, culture and propaganda
• offers both a survey of the main topics and a detailed narrative through the close examination of sources
• introduces students to the problems of interpreting evidence, and helps develop the knowledge and skills needed to further the study of ancient history.

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Roman Frontier Studies presents one hundred of the papers given at the Fifteenth International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies.First published in 1991, it has been out of print since 1995.This new edition is published to satisfy continuing demand for the volume.Geographically the material ranges throughout the frontier regions of the Roman Empire from Britain to the Caucasus, the Low Countries to Upper Egypt, Spain to Jordan.The first section deals with individual frontier regions, fort and fortress sites, army units and related military matters and includes overall surveys of significant work carried out in Britain and Germany in the 1980s.The second section explores three more general themes: the relations between "Romans" and "natives" on the peripheral areas of the Empire, the realities of life in a frontier region, and the problems peculiar to desert frontiers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Definitive Work On the Conduct Of Roman Warfare
I read this book for a graduate course in Roman history.
A critical change to the Roman army came after the assassination of Julius Caesar.Once again, Rome was plunged into Civil war, this time the two protagonists were Mark Anthony, and Caesar Augustus.Caesar Augustus learned how to use the army to gain political advantage with efficient alacrity from his great uncle Julius Caesar's example.Once he defeated his rival Mark Anthony, he took Julius Caesar's military reforms to new heights solidifying his political power and reinstituting the Roman monarchy.Under Caesar Augustus' reign, the potential for a soldier to gain wealth, rank, and upward mobility in society was much greater.It was not uncommon for a soldier to reach the rank of centurion after fifteen years of service, with the potential for earning an even higher rank.During this period, the rank of centurion garnished him fifteen times that of the ordinary soldier.Almost half of the centurions would succeed to the office of primipilares--the senior centurion of a legion for one year.With this rank came the honor of becoming a member of the Roman equestrian order, which provided a step up the ladder of the Roman social class structure.Upon their retirement, these successful military men would receive a substantial payment of 600,000 sesterces.This payment, coupled with their savings from pay and booty they earned while on campaign could propel a man well beyond his original station in life.However, one of the most important military reforms Caesar Augustus made was to introduce a permanent garrison of troops into the city of Rome itself.

This books articles notes that one of the most important military reforms Augustus made was to introduce a permanent garrison of troops into the city of Rome itself.Augustus created the Praetorian cohorts soon after his return to Rome from Egypt around 27 BCE.There were nine cohorts in number and they were staffed with between 500 to 1,000 men each.Their commanding officer, known as a prefect, answered directly to the Emperor.The cohorts served as a police force within the city of Rome.The best of these men were formed into a bodyguard unit for the Emperor, known as the Praetorian Guard.The military reforms that Caesar Augustus instituted in 13 BCE and again in 6 CE demonstrated how he solidified his control of all the armies of the Roman Empire, which he was then able to wield as an effective political instrument.They gave the Emperor control of the only military power in the city.Augustus lengthened the terms of service from 16 to 20 years for legionaries.Augustus insured that all bonuses known as donatives, as well as severance pay and territorial grants made to soldiers and veterans were made in the name of the princeps.These actions insured that the soldiers and veterans would remain loyal to Augustus; it essentially turned them into clients and him into their patron.In addition, as his legionaries conquered new territory he gave them large tracts of land when they retired; thus, founding several new towns in Italy and the provinces.His patronage to the army insured that he controlled a network of armed and devoted garrisons throughout the Empire.Augustus could do all this because he had become the richest and most powerful man in the Empire.Thus, his patronage to the army insured that he and subsequent emperors controlled a network of armed and devoted garrisons throughout the Empire.

Recommended reading for those interested in Roman history, military history.
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The studies in this collection deal with a variety of subjects. Their focus is the Roman Empire in the East, the Roman Army, Judaea in the Roman period, and Jewish history. Inscriptions are published within them and literary sources discussed. First, Judaea in the period before the arrival of the Romans as well as under Roman rule forms the centre of attention. Here, articles on specific documents are presented and historical problems discussed ranging from the Seleucid period to the Later Roman Empire. The second part of the book contains studies of the wider area and the third part is concerned with the Roman army, its organization and aims in the Frontier areas. Discussions of relevant mid-1990s publications have also been added. ... Read more

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At the frontiers of the Roman Empire, military settlements had a profound influence on local crafting traditions. Legions were not just fighting units - they contained a large number of craftsmen, and the fortress would have been a centre of manufacturing activity. A timber legionary fortress, for example, required vast numbers of nails, many of which would have been made by legionary smiths on site, and an army of thousands would require many more pots, shoes and tents than could be produced by local domestic potters and leather workers. But can all developments in local craft and industry be seen as a result of the appearance of the Roman army? The ten papers in this volume focus on craft production in Roman Yorkshire, and the evidence for the role of the army in local manufacturing activities. Several papers examine broad questions surrounding the organisation and scale of production in urban and rural areas. Others consider the local evidence for individual materials and production processes, including those associated with pottery, glass, copper alloys, non-ferrous metals, leather, jet, and building stone. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Essential reading for medieval historians or students
The essays in this book are all solid examinations of important questions surrounding the reign of Charles the Great.Essential reading for students of early medieval history. ... Read more

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Illyricum, in the western Balkan peninsula, was a strategically important area of the Roman Empire where the process of Roman imperialism began early and lasted for several centuries. Dzino here examines Roman political conduct in Illyricum; the development of Illyricum in Roman political discourse; and the beginning of the process that would integrate Illyricum into the Roman Empire and wider networks of the Mediterranean world. In addition, he also explores the different narrative histories, from the romanocentric narrative of power and Roman military conquest, which dominate the available sources, to other, earlier scholarly interpretations of events. ... Read more

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The Imperial Army established by Augustus drew heavily on the nomenclature and traditions of the late Roman Republic, but was revolutionary in its design. He decided to meet all the military needs of the Empire from a standing, professional army. Military service became a career, and pay and service conditions were established that took account of the categories of soldier in the army: the Praetorian Guard, the citizen legionary troops, and the non-citizen auxiliaries. Enlistment was for 25 years (16 in the Guard), and men were sometimes retained even longer. The loyalty of the new army was to the emperor as commander-in-chief, and not to either the Senate or the People of Rome. Imperial legions became permanent units with their own numbers and titles and many were to remain in existence for centuries to come.

Likewise, the auxiliary units (auxilia) of the army were completely reorganized and given regular status. Trained to the same standards of discipline as the legions, the men were long-serving professional soldiers like the legionaries and served in units that were equally permanent. Drawn from a wide range of peoples throughout the provinces, especially on the fringes of the Empire, the auxilia were non-citizens and would receive Roman citizenship upon completion of their twenty-five years under arms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Army of the Principate
As a rule, Osprey books are not known for being deep reading.But this has got to be one of the most informative and thoroughly researched titles from the series I have ever read - if only it had the color plates the men-at-arms and warrior series are known for, I would consider it the best title Osprey has done on the Roman Army.

This volume examines pretty much every facet of the Roman war marchine from Octavian's taking of the title of Princeps in 27 BC to the death of Trajan in 117 AD, though this cut-off date is a little modest - most of the material in this book could apply to the Imperial Army as late as the mid 3rd Century AD.

The first chapter details the organization of Rome's fighting men during the Principate.The author's treatment of the somewhat confused battle-orders of the auxiliary cohorts is thorough, and he reveals the crucial role played by cohorts that had been indefinitely detached from legions (vexillationes) for special duties.Though elite detachments of legionaries did not become a prominent feature of the Roman Army til the era of the Severi (193 - 235 AD), they existed long before then.

The second chapter discusses the helmets, body armor, shields, and shafted and bladed weapons of Roman soldiers, focusing naturally on the legionaries.Though his treatment of Roman weaponry and armor is thorough and accurate, Fields curiously ignores two weapons - the bow and the sling - that were promiment in the auxiliary cohorts, and may have even been used by legionaries under special circumstances (there is epigraphical evidence attesting to legionaries of the Principate receiving archery training).

In the third chapter, Command and Control, Fields tackles another minefield of Roman studies - the hierarchy of military command and the posts that could and could not be held by various ranks of tribunes and prefects.The roles of purely military officers, like centurions, are also discussed here.

In the fourth chapter Fields briefly examines the tactical philosophies of the Imperial Romans, and the intended strategic and tactical roles for the legions and the auxiliary cohorts.In the fifth chapter we read of a speciality of the Roman armed forces - engineering, including camps, forts, and siegeworks.

The sixth chapter is entitled 'After Actium' - and basically paints a picture of the Roman Military by describing the roles it played in four major campaigns - Varus' disastrous march through the Teutoberg Wald in 9 AD, the surpression of Boudica's rebellion in 61 AD, the Flavian victory over Vitellius at Cremona in December of 69 AD, and Agricola's 'battle too far' at Mons Graupius in Caledonia, in 83 AD.

The author includes as appendices, a list of Roman emperors, a list of Classical historians who wrote about this time period, and a list of legionary titles and their English translations.

Overall this title is an excellent singular source on the Roman Army from Augustus to Trajan, very well-researched, well-written, well-illustrated, and in short well-done! ... Read more

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Constantine XI Palaiologos was the last Christian Emperor of Constantinople and Byzantium. In 1453, when Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, he was last seen fighting at the city walls, but the actual circumstances of his death have remained surrounded in myth. In the years that followed it was said that he was not dead but sleeping - the 'immortal emperor' turned to marble, who would one day be awakened by an angel and drive the Turks out of his city and empire. Donald Nicol's book tells the gripping story of Constantine's life and death, and ends with an intriguing account of claims by reputed descendants of his family - some remarkably recent - to be heirs to the Byzantine throne. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great overview and insight
This is a good little novel. Easy to read and very informative. Gives you an idea of how the eastern portion of the greatest empire and remnant of by far, the most influential society on earth finally succumbed to the relentless sands of time.
I came away with the disturbing realization that the loss of the empire was a mirror image of the western fall. Both became decadent and petty. Incorporating the barbarians (germanic peoples and the turks) that would eventually become their conquerors into their societies long before the final denouement. I guess I was hoping for a more tragic end, as the legends sorrounding the fall make you feel.
Nicols includes a study of the familial line of the Palaiologos and where they stand today. Interestingly, none of the pretenders to the imperial title hold any weight because the family sold the rights to renaissance monarchs or died heir-less.
Very interesting read!

Tragic story of the life, death, and aftermath of Constantine XI
History is filled with tragic tales of heroic last stands and hopeful legends. None seem more poignant than the story of Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI.Donald Nicol brings his skill as a story teller to bear on the scant details we have of Constantine's early life and death.Building on those varied and oftentimes conflicting sources, he provides a coherent and most probable reality along with the probable origins of legends that surround the last emperor and the root of Greek nationalist movements.The result is a gripping yet sad tale of a man in the clutches of unstoppable events.The political and theological forces by way of key persons in the events are also well-covered to complete the big picture.

This little volume is yet one more of the quality books provided in the Canto series.Very well done.

Well told story of the last Constantine, but...where's the map?
I would, for the most part, simply echo what others have said here. This book is a finely researched (and told) story of the last emperor of the Romans. It reads very quickly, does a nice job of navigating the many stories and legends surrounding the ultimate fate of Constantine. Of particular interest to me were the anecdotes relating to Turkish legends about the Golden Gate as the future entry point of the awakened emperor.Having visited the Golden Gate in Istanbul I can attest that it has a certain forlorn and eerie quality to the visitor who has an understanding of Byzantine history.Nicol includes interesting material on the Paleaologos family since 1453.

The book contains a good family tree and numerous interesting illustrations but, curiously, no map. Books of historical interest dealing with a welter of locations, as this one does, which do not include a decent map or two are a mystery to me.

Well-balanced and sober minded account.
Nicol writes with an excellent flow, and tells the story in a most capticating and sober minded way. Well annotated and well indexed too. A good overview over the events during the Fall of Constantinople.

Up to Nicol's usual high standards . . .
Constantine XI was the last Byzantine emperor, the last Christian ruler of what had been the Eastern Roman Empire, killed trying to defend his city against the final, successful Ottoman attack in May 1453. (Sultan Mehmed II subsequently had his head cut off, peeled off the skin, and stuffed it with straw as a trophy.) He had succeeded his childless brother to the throne less than five years before, after a career as a provincial governor -- the eighth member of his family to hold the title of emperor since Michael Palaiologos in 1253. Like Arthur in Britain and other rulers in trying times, his hero's death led inevitably to legends that he wasn't really dead, that he had escaped the fall of Constantinople, that he would be resurrected to restore the empire. It seems strange that no book has been published about Constantine XI since 1892, but Nicol, who is director of the Gennadius Library in Athens, goes far in rectifying that lack. Because the last emperor was very much a product of his family's inheritance as well as of his Graeco-Roman culture, the first half of this slender volume provides considerable information on the operation of the empire as a family business, as well as on the administrative differences between East and West in the medieval period. The later chapters relate the spread of the Palaiologi as far as Cornwall and Barbados, though these may or may not be descendants of the imperial branch of the family. ... Read more

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When one mentions "empire," one place probably comes to mind: Rome. The Romans conquered an empire that covered almost the complete extent of their known world. With a territory that large, there was, of course, a huge cultural diversity between the different corners of the empire. How could the central authority in Rome bring together all the different cultures, religions and customs under one administrative umbrella? Soldiers, Cities and Civilians in Roman Syria explores some of the interactions between the imperial authority and the subjected peoples in the territory of Syria. It looks at how the imperial power controlled its subjects, how the agents of the imperial power (administrators, soldiers, etc.) interacted with those subjects, and what impact the imperial power had on the culture of ruled territories. The Roman empire had few civilian administrators, so soldiers were the representatives of imperial government to be encountered by many provincial civilians. Soldiers, Cities and Civilians in Roman Syria employs the evidence of Roman texts and documents and modern archaeological excavation as well as "alternative" sources, such as the literature of the subject peoples and informal texts such as graffiti, to examine the relationship between soldiers and civilians in the important frontier province of Syria.
Nigel Pollard is currently a Research Assistant at the Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford.
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