Product Description

Ancient Rome was uniquely bellicose. Her legionaries are often cited as the original professional soldiers and famed for their iron discipline, but they were also formidable individual warriors, sometimes berserks, who gloried in single combat, taking heads and despoiling their enemies. They were men who believed they were sired by a god of war, driven by the need to create and sustain heroic reputations, and who disrobed in public to display battle scars. Yet these same warriors read philosophy, wrote history and recited poetry. For the Glory of Rome introduces the heroic, yet utterly ruthless, men who carved out the Roman Empire. The author examines the deeds of men like Siccius Dentatus, the victor of eight single combats and a hero of the common people; Decius Mus, the consul who charged into the midst of the enemy at Sentinum to devote himself to the gods of the Underworld; and the feuding centurions Pullo and Vorenus, rivals for every post and honour but bound together by their loyalty to Caesar. Ross Cowan explores the mindset of the Roman fighting men, examining their motivation, beliefs and superstitions, illuminating why they fought and died for the glory of Rome.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #280717 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Review
This book builds an eye opening picture of the true Soldier of Rome from the Republic to the late Empire...very well written and readable...I can recommend this book even if you do not have a direct interest in the Roman army as it is a good read for anyone with an interest in widening their knowledge of Roman history. --Military Modelcraft International, January 2009

About the Author
Ross H. Cowan studied Classics at the University of Glasgow, where he also wrote his doctoral thesis about elite units of the Roman Imperial Army the Praetorian Guard and Second Parthian Legion. He is the author of two books about the Imperial legions and has written many articles on all aspects of the Roman Army. He lives and works near Glasgow.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating, fun, exciting - history as it should be
This is 'boys' own' history, full of charismatic characters and laden with action and adventure. It is meticulously researched and referenced, but has great narrative verve and brims over with enthusiasm.

The book opens with a short introduction about how the Roman legionary was a deadly combination of 'individual warrior' and 'disciplined group soldier', but the warrior in the legionary was always struggling to get out and this could lead to disaster.

Chapter 1 focuses on the Pyrrhic War, in which Rome faced the charismatic adventurer, King Pyrrhus of Epirus. Pyrrhus was a superstar in the ancient world and often compared with Alexander the Great. He wanted to carve out an empire in Italy, but the Romans were having none of that! Even when Pyrrhus was successful in battle against the legions, his casualties were so high that it has given rise to the expression 'Pyrrhic victory'.

Chapter 2 is about divine intervention in Roman battles. The Romans were convinced that the gods aided them in battle, sometimes even fighting with them! The most interesting section of the chapter concerns the battle of Sentinum in which the Roman general 'devoted' himself (that's sacrificed to you and me) to the gods of the underworld in order to secure victory. Bizarre but compelling reading.

Chapter 3 highlights the Roman passion for single combat. This is the longest chapter and contains a wealth of information not only about duels, but also the Roman practice of taking heads, their fascination with scars and habit of displaying them in public and even in the courts, in order to elicit the sympathy of jurors who associated scars with brave deeds. Dr Cowan also dwells on Roman military decorations, swordsmanship, unflattering nicknames and numerous other topics. A veritable gold mine!

Chapter 4 is divided into three sections. The first summarises Julius Caesar's campaigns then launches into a discussion of his loyal and often berserk centurions. Pullo and Vorenus, familiar to many from TV's 'Rome', feature here. The second section investigates the origins of the Praetorian Guard. Again, fascinating stuff and neatly linked with section three, about the Ninth legion. Cowan debunks the demise of the legion as given in the 'The Eagle of the Ninth' and proposes various scenarios for its disappearance.

Chapter 5 is a bit of a mish-mash of material, left-overs one suspects, but it's full of gems such as burly centurions with a passion for poetry and examples of the obscene humour of the legionaries.

The book ends with a brief epilogue about the late Roman army and how its 'barbarian' and provincial soldiers were just as concerned as the legionaries of Caesar to uphold the name of Rome.

Interestingly, the book is dedicated to the late David Gemmell. Dr Cowan states that Gemmell's novel 'Ghost King' ignited his interest in the Roman army. Those familiar with Gemmell's novels will surely also enjoy this book. As the other reviewer says, fans of TV's 'Rome' will probably love this, so too will fans of the Roman-set adventures of Conn Iggulden and Simon Scarrow.

A great read
I read this at the recommendation of a friend. Military history, or history in general, is not usually my thing. I'd rather read a thriller or the latest Wilbur Smith, but Cowan just keeps on serving up fascinating detail after fascinating detail. What Cowan reveals as historical fact makes the goings on in the TV series `Rome' look tame. Another strongpoint is Cowan's narrative technique, the chapters, especially the one about the Pyrrhic war (now I finally understand the expression `Pyrrhic victory'!), often read like historical fiction. To sum up - just a great read.

Accessable History for all
Ross tackles his first full length novel bringing the ancient world of Rome from its humble beginnings to a modern audience with historical facts interwoven in a tale that shows that the epic heroes that modern fantasy has come to exude did have living counterparts in the ancient world. The fact that the book is dedicated to David Gemmell is also a nice touch as many a reader of his books will see parallels to the "living" heroes within the pages of this tale. A writer of history who has brought the ancient world in a more accessable way to the modern reader and as such means that he should be applauded for tackling this huge subject in such a way. If you're looking for a book to help with research this tale also fulfills the brief and as such will provide that outline for the hero that you feel is missing. Great work Ross.