The Romans commemorated many different events with inscriptions, and not just carved in stone: they are found also on such materials as bronze, wood, mosaic, glass and pottery. They range from the official and highly formulaic to the ordinary and personal. Lawrence Keppie introduces the non-specialist to the subject of inscriptions and provides clear guidance towards translating the Latin texts. Reading the text is only part of interpretation, however, and this book also gives an account of the other aspects needed for a full understanding of inscriptions. The author covers such subjects as local government; the armies and frontiers; religion; the titles of emperors; business and commerce; as well as the craft of stonecutting, developments in the alphabet and the discovery and publication of material.

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.

Exploring how the professional Roman army developed from a small citizen militia, guarding a village on the banks of the Tiber, this text pays particular attention to the transitional period between the Republic and the Empire: the time of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Augustus. The author overcomes the traditional dichotomy between a historical view of the Republic and an archaeological approach to the Empire, by making the most of the archaeological evidence from the earlier years. This is reflected in the of specially prepared maps and diagrams, and in the details from Republican monuments and coins. This edition provides a comprehensive survey of the evolution and growth of the remarkable military enterprise of the Roman army.

Lawrence Keppie's book offers the non-specialist a comprehensive and enjoyable guide to undestanding the texts of Roman inscriptions, as well as explaining the numerous different contexts in which they were produced. Every area of Roman life is covered, including: * the emperor * temples and altars to the gods * imperial administration * gravestones and tomb monuments * local government and society * the army and the frontiers * Christianity * trade, commerce and the economy * the later Roman Empire. For each inscription cited, the book provides the original Latin, an English translation and a commentary on the piece's significance. Illustrated with more than 80 photos and drawings, this is the ideal introduction to the most important source for the history and organisation of the Roman Empire.

"The Making of the Roman Army" explores how a small citizen militia guarding a village on the banks of the Tiber evolved into the professional Roman army. Lawrence Keppie pays particular attention to the transitional period between Republic and Empire - the time of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Augustus. Keppie overcomes the traditional dichotomy between a historical view of the Republic and an archaeological approach to the Empire by making the most of the often overlooked archaeological evidence from the earlier years.