The Complete Roman Legions by Pollard & Berry...

[Condottiero Magno]

The Complete Roman Legions by Nigel Pollard and Joanne Berry

Never one to buy into claims of definitiveness, so anyone know anything about this book and/or the authors?

• The origins, histories and battles of all 45 legions, from the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD
• The rise of the legions in the Republic through to the changes in Late Antiquity
• Campaigns of the great commanders from Pompey and Caesar to Trajan and Septimius Severus
• Full descriptions of the organization and structure; equipment including weapons, shields, armour and artillery; battle tactics and siege warfare
• Quotations from ancient writers throughout
• Main text supplemented by box features, data files, chronology and glossary
• Over 200 illustrations of emperors, legionaries, weapons, fortresses, and inscriptions
• Includes 11 maps

Full accounts are given of Roman army reforms, legionary equipment, battle tactics and the legionaries as builders and engineers. Legions are examined in the territories they garrisoned and defended. Added depth is given by data files on each legion and detailed box features on major sites and events.

Written by leading authorities drawing on an up-to-date research and packed with superb illustrations, The Complete Roman Legions will be the standard work on the subject.

Didn't the legion exist in the old sense, til the early 4th Century?

[Nathan Ross]

It's been mentioned once or twice here. Looks good - Pollard's Soldiers, Cities, and Civilians in Roman Syria is quality, and this book is apparently endosed (on the Amazon blurb) by Lawrence Keppie (although Duncan Campbell has raised some shadows over that, which he's not allowed to discuss, it seems...)

Shame they break off at the 3rd century though, as you say.

Anyway, it's now been published so hopefully we can have a look for ourselves! :-)

[Flavivs Aetivs]

It's been mentioned once or twice here. Looks good - Pollard's Soldiers, Cities, and Civilians in Roman Syria is quality, and this book is apparently endosed (on the Amazon blurb) by Lawrence Keppie (although Duncan Campbell has raised some shadows over that, which he's not allowed to discuss, it seems...)

Shame they break off at the 3rd century though, as you say.

Anyway, it's now been published so hopefully we can have a look for ourselves! :-)

Yeah, the Quinta Macedonica lasted to the 7th Century, and a few others lasted into the 4th/5th centuries (the only one that comes to mind is XX Valeria Victrix in Britain)

[D B Campbell]

... and a few others lasted into the 4th/5th centuries (the only one that comes to mind is XX Valeria Victrix in Britain)

The II Augusta and VI Victrix are mentioned in the N.D., but not XX Valeria Victrix, which seems to disappear before that date.

[Nathan Ross]

XX Valeria Victrix... seems to disappear before that date.

Last mentioned on the legionary coin series by Carausius, I think - which may provide a clue to their fate!

a few others lasted into the 4th/5th centuries)

Actually a surprising majority of principiate legions survived, at least in name, to be mentioned in the ND as limitanei units.

[Arahne]

Not just in ND. For example Legio IIII Flavia is mentioned on IV century brick stamps, besides being mentioned in ND in its home camp in Singidunum.

[D B Campbell]

For example Legio IIII Flavia is mentioned on IV century brick stamps, ...

Can you remind me how we know that the brick-stamps are fourth century, please?

[Arahne]

Types that exist only in IV century layers.