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Hi all,
as some of you may have gathered by now, I am a commissioning editor specialising in Ancient Warfare (although I do also commission a bit of other military history). As a bit of market research I just thought I would ask you all what sort of books you would like to see published. I'm just talking non-fiction here. It's no good asking for something way too specific either, like rivet design from 75-80AD for example, but if there are periods, battles, campaigns, armies or generals which you think are neglected or ripe for reappraisal, then I'd like to hear your ideas.
I can't promise anything, but many heads are better than one and it gives you a chance to influence what gets into print.
thanks
Phil Sidnell
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Roman Ireland: 2005 to 2007 :lol:
Seriously though, I'd love to see a series of books dealing with generally accepted re-enactment equipment, trouble is though, you'd probably never get consensus on something like that. Such a work would have saved me so much money and grief over the past two years.
But you could do it this way, get RAT members to elect a 4 man committe who would represent the membership's opinions and put the books togather. Give them a specific time frame and what they say goes. Not perfect, but you'd get a set of books covering specific periods that would probably be better than anything else on the market.
These books could be revised over time
I vote 'Peroni' :wink:
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The entire history of Roman domination of Greece in particular, would be of interest to me!  I see it mentioned in relation to other arenas sporadically, but nothing that covers that area alone! Not that I have an exhaustive list of reference, but I have not found anything which deals specifically with that area!
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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Greece  hock: nothing but a bunch of Tunic lifters :lol:
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ONe area that has been woefully neglected is the Roman East. I have looked at a number of books and they are usually campaign histories, art-historical studies of styles and designs, or collections of essays on specific, small subjects. A history of the way Rome governed, militarily secured and controlled its Eastern provinces, how it projected power, the role of client kingdoms, the interaction with Parthia an Sassanid Persia, and the problems of low-level warfare and inter-community violence would be a wonderful thing indeed. Or, if that would be asking too much (I believe itz might be, given the breadth of material available), a number of books on individual aspects. The Roman Gulf Region, Banditry and violence in the Roman world, The Roman military in the East, Roman-Parthian relations, Roman East Africa...
I mean, how many histories of that miserable little island of Roman Britain do we have, and where is the magisterial history of Roman Syria, the jewel in the Empire's crown?
And I'll buy *anything* (reasonably priced) that tries to actually look at what real everyday life was like at the personal level.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!
Volker Bach
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Actually, there is quite a large body of work on the Roman conquest and subsequent 'ethnic cleansing' of Dacia. Unfortunately all in Romanian, but they could obvisously be translated...
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Publishers in this 'miserable little island' do lots of books on it because people keep buying them. (I will be doing one or two myself, but I am keen to get into some of the less trodden areas too.)
Some good suggestions there though. The one on the Roman domination in Greece should fit into a series I am already planning, so that's good to hear.
The Roman East is certainly an interesting area, which will be touched on in the same series, but not in the depth envisaged here.
The 'real everyday life' is not really my sphere. I perhaps should have been clearer that I adhere to what I like to call Just War Theory - no sociology, no cultural studies - just war! But seriously, it is really just military history - for now at least.
Books aimed specifically at reenactors might be worth thinking about - but how many of you are there? For that matter, how many members does RAT have? Anybody know? I know there have been some general ones over the years, such as Living History but I think that was way too broad. You'd also want lots of colour pics wouldn't you which are expensive to reproduce of course. Hmmm, food for thought.
Keep the ideas coming.
Phil
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Sulla and more specifically Sulla's campaigns against Romes worst nightmare (no not Hannibal) Mithridates IV (the Great).
Sulla Felix
AKA Barry Coomber
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Quote:Sulla and more specifically Sulla's campaigns against Romes worst nightmare (no not Hannibal) Mithridates IV (the Great).
Well, I've already commissioned something on Mithridates the Great which is now part-written and it's going to be an absolute blinder. Should be out Late 2008 (these things take a long time!). This is going to be one of the first two in a loose series:Warlords of the Ancient World. I suppose a volume on Sulla would be a possibility further down the line.
thanks
Phil
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Quote:Greece hock: nothing but a bunch of Tunic lifters :lol:
:evil: From a sheep shagger! Thats rich!!! :twisted:
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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OOOhhhh that is good news - my favourite non-roman character. Cannot wait to see that one - I have had to make do with the work by McGing (which is good) mainly, so anything new is great news.
New book on Sulla is a must !
Sulla Felix
AKA Barry Coomber
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I would like to see some more published about the Dromedarivs.
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Dromedarius? Camel troops? Not sure it would support a whole book I'm afraid.
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I'd love to see more books on Auxiliary Pedite and Auxiliary Equintata units. Osprey published a nice work on the Cavalry, but i would like to see more on the forces that at one point made up nearly half of the Roman Military machine.
Holder, and Saddington are absolutely darn near impossible to get a hold of.
Cheesman is a great foundation, but it is a bit dated, especially when it comes to equipment.
Cheers!!
Mike
Mike Daniels
a.k.a
Titus Minicius Parthicus
Legio VI FFC.
If not me...who?
If not now...when?
:wink: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt=":wink:" title="Wink" />:wink:
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Salve,
How about English Translations of Junkelmann's 'Legions of Augustus' and his Gladiator Book? They should be sure-fire sellers.
Vale,
Celer.
Marcus Antonius Celer/Julian Dendy.
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