"Companion to the Roman Army"

[Jona Lendering]

I understand that Blackwell will publish a "Companion to the Roman Army", edited by Erdkamp. Does anyone have access to a table of contents? It sounds like a book we all need to buy, but the prize (85 pounds) is ridiculous, so I hesitate.

[Praefectusclassis]

That is in***e! Perhaps there'll be a more affordable paperback?
Have you tried contacting Paul?
I know that both Prof.Hekster & De Blois from this university have contributed. Undoubtedly the first has written about the emperor and the army, while the latter I know has written a chapter on the Late Republic.

[Kate Gilliver]

oh me gawd, I didn't realise it was going to be that expensive. Good thing I get a freebie!

I've done the chapter on the Augustan and early imperial army; my colleague Louis Rawlings has done one on the armies of the 4th-3rd centuries BC. I did have an author list but don't want to circulate it in case it's changed since Paul first circulated it.

[Narukami]

Eow! hock:

$149.95 on Amazon -- pre-order.

ISBN: 140512153X

It's now on the wish list, along with several other items, but will have to wait for "sunnier" financial days, so to speak. :wink:

Narukami

[Ebusitanus]

How can a newly edited book be THIS expensive?

[Robert Vermaat]

Scientific publication in small numbers... :?

[Ebusitanus]

I´m sure they could make a few more numbers for the non so rich ethusiasts out there.

[Praefectusclassis]

Sure, but only to increase the profit. Academic publishers market their books to academic institutions (who just pay what they need to pay). Their break even point is calculated on selling it to those institutions. Since circulation there is only a few hundred copies, prices are high. All other sales only add to the profit. Mass market paperbacks are a whole other ballgame...

[Jona Lendering]

I´m sure they could make a few more numbers for the non so rich enthusiasts out there.

The point of publishing is that you have two main offices.

At the first entrance, you sell beautiful academic books. There's also a desk for a journal on poetry that no one reads. These books are only there for prestige; and these books must circulate not widely, because then people might become smart, and then the second office is no longer making profits.

The second entrance, on the other side of the block, leads to an altogether different publishing house. Here, they sell cheap books and make the money.

An example, here in Holland, is the Weekblad Pers Groep. It publishes my very own books, which -I hope- take away a prejudice or two; but through another department, it publishes magazines like Runner's World and Men's Health, which are (in my prejudiced view) opium of the people.

What worries me, is that the "good books department" is increasingly copying methods from the "popular press". For example, facts are no longer checked, and they don't sell books, but authors. It is very unpleasant.

[Ebusitanus]

And then they wonder that others start using the scanner. :roll:

[Tarbicus]

Anyone got theirs yet?

[jvrjenivs]

Blackwell hasn't give it the status of availiable, so I think we all have to wait some more days till we can get this book.

[Alexandr K]

Hi,
when you'll type "companion to the roman army" into their search engine, it'll give one result where the publication dates are given as follows:

USA - 5.3.2007
Australia - 26.4.2007
Rest of the world - 26.2.2007

Greetings
Alexandr

[Praefectusclassis]

Blackwell - from an email I just received - is still unsure when exactly it will become available.

[jvrjenivs]

Blackwell has changed the status on this one to Available