Product Description

The period 31 BC-AD 43 saw the greatest expansion of the Roman Empire. In 31 BC Octavian defeated Antony at the Battle of Actium and remodelled the semi-professional Roman army into a permanent force of 28 legions. Octavian became the first emperor (Augustus) and under his leadership the legions conquered northern Spain, all Europe south of the Danube line and Germany west of the Elbe. The legionaries exemplified the heroic culture of the Roman world and this title takes a behind-the-scenes look at their lives, training, weaponry and tactics, including the bloody massacre of the Teutoberg forest.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #208973 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-12
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

About the Author
Ross Cowan is a research student at the University of Glasgow where he was recently awarded a PhD for a thesis on the Roman army entitled 'Aspects of the Severan Field Army AD 193-238'. The major themes of the thesis are the organisation of the Prateorian Guard and Legio II Parthica, their recruitment, numbers and equipment. Ross also completed his first degree at Glasgow. In 1999 he was elected a fellow of the Society of the Antiquaries of Scotland.

Customer Reviews

The legionary comes to life!
This book is quite a surprise. It's a bit more 'academic' than your usual Osprey offering but it's very approachable and squeezes in a mass of information about the legions from Julius Caesar to the emperor Vespasian. The text takes the reader from the establishment of the Imperial legions and organisation, through recruitment (mostly conscripts according to Cowan) and training, equipment (here I learn that the gladius was not a short sword!), and ultimatley on to the best section concerning the legionaries in battle. Quotes from ancient sources give a 'soldier's eye view' of battle from the exchange of missiles, to the charge and collision with the enemy, the rout and taking of booty and and adorning victory monuments with the heads of the enemy.

Excepting a few typos this is a fantastic read. The colour plates illuminate the text superbly (especially the plate concerning the Varian disaster; Cowan informs us that all the legionary eagles taken in AD 9 were later recaptured). Essential for anyone wanting to learn more about the legionary.