Product Description

When Alexander the Great carved out his empire, Rome was just one of many city states on the Italian peninsula. Yet it conquered its neighbours one-by-one, defeated Carthage and eventually overwhelmed the Greek successor states too. As its republican institutions gave way to Imperial rule by Augustus and his heirs, the Roman Empire extended from the French Atlantic coast to Syria. Later conquests included Britain and much of modern Romania. How did Rome overcome opponent after opponent? What was the grand strategy of the Roman Empire? Adrian Goldsworthy reveals why Rome developed the most professional fighting force of the ancient world and what it was like to be a soldier in the legions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54730 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

About the Author
Adrian Goldsworthy has a doctorate from Oxford University. His first book, The Roman Army at War was recognised by John Keegan, the general Editor of The History of Warfare, as an exceptionally impressive work, original in treatment and impressive in style. He has since written five other books, to great acclaim.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, well illustrated introduction.
Traditionally, the founding of the Roman state is set as 753BC. Nine hundred years later Roman soldiers were patrolling Hadrian's Wall and maintaining a frontier line which extended across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Rome's achievement is often seen as a cultural one - as the triumph of a superior civilisation over inferior barbarians. The Romans, indeed, saw themselves as the favourites of the gods, with the absolute right to invade, conquer, and enslave other peoples. Their cultural and economic success, however, was built on the dynamic skills - military and administrative - of a professional army.

The most striking feature of Rome's Army, in fact, is its very professionalism. At a time when vitually every other society relied on ad hoc groups of warriors and armed retainers, Rome developed a full-time, career institution which demonstrated almost clockwork reliability in its creation and defence of empire.

Goldsworthy's account of the army, its evolution and growth is accomplished in a beautifully illustrated and very enjoyable volume. Inevitably, he cannot provide the in-depth detail a keen student would require, but 'Roman Warfare' is an excellent introduction which successfully blends visuals and narrative, and which should encourage the casual reader to delve further into the subject.

a top-notcher for entry level would be experts
if you share my interest in the roman empire and the legions but don`t know where to begin, this is a good starting point.

You will learn how, and why,a small city became an empire and created the most astonishing fighting machine the world had ever, or would ever, see. Notwithstanding other great empires throughout human history, most, if not all, were based upon a ruler, be it a man or a family, that collapsed after their demise. This book will show you why that was not the case with the romans, since they not only created an agressive army but armed it with much more than weapons.

The legion on the march brought with it the rule of law, civil administration, religious tolerance and a wish to absorb the new conquered people into their midst, conceding citizenship and trading benefits once victory was reached.

Their amazing fortitude in batlle, not giving up despite huge losses, magnanimity once it was all over or ruthless massacres to prevent further revolts if necessary, can only be seen as instruments of a much higher design when on top of it all from the conquered later on came the new legionaires, senators, consuls, and even emperors.

How it ends is also shown. And a version of why, presented.

"Roman Warfare" shows it all. And made me want to go deeper.

What else can you wish for your money on a book ?