12-13-2012, 07:00 PM
I read it a few weeks back and found it a perfect antidote to the aforementioned SDC volume of the same name. The volume does not contain any new artwork but there are quite a few photos which did not look familiar to me so I think some of the images are worthwhile. On the text, the Republican and Late Imperial sections are quite short (which I thought was a good thing) as the bulk of the book focuses on the legions of the Principate, where the authors are able to trace long-term unit biographies in more detail.
Structurally, the work clusters the legions into main geographical groupings (Rhine, Britain, Spain etc) although obviously this involves a little subjectivity as some of the units moved around.
It reads well and I especially enjoyed the discussion of the legions with "anomalous" features (Egypt & equestrian prefects, III Augusta & the senatorial proconsul, II Parthica being based in Italy).
By the way, on the subject of new books on the Roman army (and at least these are relatively inexpensive volumes):
1)Bingham's "The Praetorian Guard" is now available. I have not yet read it but one thing I can say (in relation to another recent thread) is that it does not major on the circumstances of the abolition of the guard.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Praetorian-Guard...229&sr=1-1
2) RATers should be aware that "Policing the Roman Empire" is very substantially about Roman military interaction with civilians. Local civilian policing is also covered (mainly in one chapter), but this one is very much a book which is largely concerned with the Roman army's role as "interior ministry troops" or "gendarmerie" (to use modern parlance) within society:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Policing-Roman-E...399&sr=1-1
Regards,
John
Structurally, the work clusters the legions into main geographical groupings (Rhine, Britain, Spain etc) although obviously this involves a little subjectivity as some of the units moved around.
It reads well and I especially enjoyed the discussion of the legions with "anomalous" features (Egypt & equestrian prefects, III Augusta & the senatorial proconsul, II Parthica being based in Italy).
By the way, on the subject of new books on the Roman army (and at least these are relatively inexpensive volumes):
1)Bingham's "The Praetorian Guard" is now available. I have not yet read it but one thing I can say (in relation to another recent thread) is that it does not major on the circumstances of the abolition of the guard.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Praetorian-Guard...229&sr=1-1
2) RATers should be aware that "Policing the Roman Empire" is very substantially about Roman military interaction with civilians. Local civilian policing is also covered (mainly in one chapter), but this one is very much a book which is largely concerned with the Roman army's role as "interior ministry troops" or "gendarmerie" (to use modern parlance) within society:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Policing-Roman-E...399&sr=1-1
Regards,
John
