Written by a leading authority on Roman military history, this
fascinating volume spans over a thousand years as it offers a
memorable picture of one of the world's most noted fighting forces,
paying special attention to the life of the common soldier.
Southern here illuminates the Roman army's history, culture, and
organization, providing fascinating details on topics such as
military music, holidays, strategy, the construction of Roman
fortresses and forts, the most common battle formations, and the
many tools of war, from spears, bows and arrows, swords, and
slingshots, to the large catapulta (which fired giant arrows and
bolts) and the ballista (which hurled huge stones). Perhaps most
interesting are the details Southern provides about everyday life
in the Roman army, everything from the soldiers pay (they were paid
three times per year, but money was deducted for such items as
food, clothing, weapons, the burial club, the pension scheme, and
so on) to their often brutal life--if whole units turned and ran,
about one-tenth of the men concerned were chosen by lot and clubbed
to death and the rest were put on barley rations instead of wheat.
Moreover, soldiers who lost weapons or their shields would fight
savagely to get them back or would die in the process, rather than
suffer the shame that attached to throwing weapons away or running
from the battle.
Attractively illustrated, this book offers a fascinating look at
the life of the Roman soldier, drawing on everything from Rome's
rich historical and archaeological record to soldier's personal
correspondence to depictions of military subjects in literature and
art.
General
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