Product Description

Forever immortalised by Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar", the battle of Philippi was the final battle between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian against the armies of Caesar's assassins Brutus and Longinus.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #155970 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Customer Reviews

Excellent
Si Sheppard has produced another excellent title on the Roman Civil Wars for Osprey. His first book was on the engagement of Caesar and Pompey's forces at Pharsalus. In this title he presents a fascinating analysis of the battle of Philippi between the forces of Brutus and Cassius, who stood for the Republic, and the armies of Octavian and Marc Antony of the Second Triumvirate.

The book begins following Caesar's assassination. From here we are taken on a tour of events which eventually led to the second civil war. Along the way Sheppard explains the campaigns around Mutina, from the siege to the confusing battle of Forum Gallorum (there are two conflicting accounts of the battle). Luckily Sheppard disintangles this confusing mess, and gives us a clear understanding of the battle based on both versions by Galba and Appian.

From here we also learn about the organisation of the Roman army of the period. Sheppard makes this section relevant to the campaign, explaining the importance of having the legion acting as individual units, and not as one rigid front, for flexibility. This useful for understanding why Brutus lost to Antony on the second day of the battle.

With the background to the campaign explained, Sheppard discusses the battle and its aftermath, including the Antony's later campaigns against the Parthians. If the book has one weakness it is that more than half of it's length is taken up discussing the build up to the battle and its consequences, rather than the engagement itself. As a matter of fact, it doesn't even get to the battle until at least 50 pages into the book. That said, the analysis of the battle is excellent, and the 3D bird's eye-view maps included are useful. It's also worth pointing out that these same problems afflict all of Osprey's campaign titles on the ancient world.

Special mention should be made of Steve Noon's illustrations which are all exquisitely drawn and painted. He provides three colour plates, illustrating Brutus's assualt on the Xanthus during the Lydian campaign; Antony's victory on the first day of Philippi; and the destruction of the Triumviral reinforcements at sea. All the colour plates are beautifully drawn and atmospheric. They are also detailed, which makes a nice change from the usual muddy illustrations that are thrown together for the Camapaign series. A number of other maps and photographs (colour & black and white) are also included.

Sheppard should be congratulated for his work here. This is one of the most readable of all Osprey campaign titles, and perhaps only a few others such as the one on Rorke's Drift is as well written as this. You could easily reading it in one afternoon.
This is a must have for anyone interested in the last years of Republican Rome. History and Military buffs will enjoy it too. Highly Recommended!