A room without books is like a body without a soul
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Roman History Books For Sale
Marcus Furius Camillus: The Life of Rome's Second Founder
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Camillus
served as a censor, was elected to six consular tribuneships,
appointed dictator five times, and enjoyed four triumphs. He toppled
mighty Veii, ejected the Senones from Rome following its sacking, and
helped orchestrate a grand compromise between the patricians and
plebeians. The Romans even considered him Rome's second founder - a
proud appellation for any Roman - and revered him for being an
exemplar of Roman virtue. Interestingly, he never held the
consulship. Plutarch stated that Camillus had avoided it on purpose,
and for good reason. The office was often at the heart of
controversy, given that patricians dominated it for most of Camillus'
life. The appointment of a dictator was an emergency measure taken
only in the direst of situations and the fact that Camillus was
repeatedly appointed speaks of a period when the young Republic was
surrounded by enemies and still fighting for survival. Without
Camillus' efforts the city may never have fulfilled its great
destiny. Marc Hyden sifts the fragmentary and contradictory sources
and, while acknowledging that much legend and exaggeration quickly
accrued around Camillus' name, presents the story of this remarkable
life as the ancient Romans knew it.
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Justinian:
Emperor, Soldier, Saint
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A
definitive new biography of the Byzantine emperor Justinian
Justinian
is a radical reassessment of an emperor and his times. In the sixth
century CE, the emperor Justinian presided over nearly four decades
of remarkable change, in an era of geopolitical threats, climate
change, and plague. From the eastern Roman—or Byzantine—capital
of Constantinople, Justinian’s armies reconquered lost territory in
Africa, Italy, and Spain. But these military exploits, historian
Peter Sarris shows, were just one part of a larger program of
imperial renewal. From his dramatic overhaul of Roman law, to his
lavish building projects, to his fierce persecution of dissenters
from Orthodox Christianity, Justinian’s vigorous statecraft—and
his energetic efforts at self-glorification—not only set the course
of Byzantium but also laid the foundations for the world of the
Middle Ages.
Rome and
Persia: The Seven Hundred Year Rivalry
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The epic rivalry between the ancient world's two great superpowers
The Roman empire was like no other. Stretching from the north of Britain to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic coast to the Euphrates, it imposed peace and prosperity on an unprecedented scale.
Its only true rival lay in the east, where the Parthian and then Persian empires ruled over great cities and the trade routes to mysterious lands beyond. This was the region Alexander the Great had swept through, creating a dream of glory and conquest that tantalized Greeks and Romans alike. Tracing seven centuries of conflict between Rome and Persia, historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows how these two great powers evolved together. Despite their endless clashes, trade between the empires enriched them both, and a mutual respect prevented both Rome and Persia from permanently destroying the other.
Epic in scope, Rome and Persia completely reshapes our understanding of one of the greatest rivalries of world history.
You Can Follow Roman History on X (Twitter) at https://twitter.com/romanhistory1Pax: War
and Peace in Rome's Golden Age
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The definitive history of Rome's
golden age - antiquity's ultimate superpower at the pinnacle of its
greatness
The Pax Romana has long been revered as a golden
age. At its peak, the Roman Empire stretched from Scotland to Arabia,
and contained perhaps a quarter of humanity. It was the wealthiest
and most formidable state the world had yet seen.
Beginning in
69AD, a year that saw four Caesars in succession rule the empire, and
ending some seven decades later with the death of Hadrian, Pax
presents a dazzling history of Rome at the height of its power. From
the gilded capital to realms beyond the frontier, historian Tom
Holland portrays the Roman Empire in all its predatory glory. Vivid
scene follows vivid scene: the destruction of Jerusalem and Pompeii,
the building of the Colosseum and Hadrian's Wall, the conquests of
Trajan. Vividly sketching the lives of Romans both ordinary and
spectacular, from slaves to emperors, Holland demonstrates how Roman
peace was the fruit of unprecedented military violence.
A
stunning portrait of Rome's glory days, this is the epic history of
the pax Romana.
Rex: The
Seven Kings of Rome
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The regal
period of Roman history is studied much less than other periods of
Rome, which is a tragedy. It is so intertwined with myth that it
provides fertile ground for academics and general readers alike. Peta
(Dr G) and Fiona (Dr Rad) of the Partial Historians podcast retell
the stories of the seven kings of Rome, using scholarship on this
early period to help readers dissect the events recorded in narrative
and annalistic sources like Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. It
interweaves mythology, written sources and archaeological material
into a narrative of the period, examining each of the kings in
detail. A final chapter explores the expulsion of the monarchy.
Walking
the Antonine Wall:
A Journey Across Scotland from East to West
Walking
the Antonine Wall charts a voyage on foot along one of Scotland's
most fascinating ancient monuments - a 38 mile rampart constructed in
the second century AD by the Romans to mark what would briefly become
the northernmost frontier of their vast empire. It is a personal
account of Dr Alan Montgomery's encounters with the enigmatic remains
of this Roman frontier which have inspired myths and legends and
intrigued and baffled generations of chroniclers, antiquarians and
archaeologists. Leading through wild open spaces and along city
streets, past curiosities man-made and natural, ancient and modern,
it records a journey across central Scotland and through 2000 years
of Scottish history.
Shadow of
the Eagle: An epic adventure of Ancient Rome
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Will Britain take him in... or mark
him as its enemy?
Faustus Valerianus is the son of a Roman father
and a British mother, a captive sold among the spoils after
Claudius's invasion.
Now both parents have died within a month of each
other, and so he sells the family farm and enlists, joining legendary
general Agricola's campaign to conquer the entirety of the British
Isles culminating in a devastating battle amongst Caledonia's dark
mountains.
But Faustus will have to contend with more than
ferocious British warriors and whip-cracking elements. For the bonds
of blood can weigh heavy on one's soul. The call of his mother's true
people. His father's restless shadow. Faustus must carry them with
him...
Journey to Britannia:
From the Heart of Rome to Hadrian's Wall, AD 130
From the Heart of Rome to Hadrian's Wall, AD 130
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'An erudite and fascinating work' Jan Morris, New York Times
'An artful combination of history, archaeology and the imagination' Mary Beard, New York Review of Books
'Riley manages to bring multi-faceted, polygot and multi-cultural Roman Britain to vibrant life for specialists and generalists' Country Life
It is AD 130. Rome is the dazzling heart of a vast empire and Hadrian its most complex and compelling ruler. Faraway Britannia is one of the Romans' most troublesome provinces: here the sun is seldom seen and 'the atmosphere in the country is always gloomy'.
What awaits the traveller to Britannia? How will you get there? What do you need to pack? What language will you speak? How does London compare to Rome? Are there any tourist attractions? And what dangers lurk behind Hadrian’s new Wall?
Combining an extensive range of Greek and Latin sources with a sound understanding of archaeology, Bronwen Riley describes an epic journey from Rome to Hadrian's Wall at Britannia's – and the empire's – northwestern frontier. In this strikingly original snapshot of Roman Britain, she brings vividly to life the smells, sounds, colours and textures of travel in the second century AD.
Agricola:
Architect of Roman Britain
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Gnaeus
Julius Agricola was a man fated for conquest and tied to the island
of Britannia. He cut his teeth on military command during the revolt
of Boudicca, later commanded a legion against the warlike Brigantes
and was finally given the governorship of the province and was able
to lead the armies north, incorporating into the empire the wild
northern lands that had remained unclaimed for three decades. He
broke the back of the Scottish tribes at Mons Graupius and achieved
what no other Roman ever managed. Agricola had a settled Britannia in
his hands, only to be removed and see it evaporate without him.
Agricola’s biography was written by his son-in-law Tacitus, and his
life has otherwise never been examined in detail. Here, using the
archaeological record and contemporary accounts to compare with
Tacitus, we work to uncover the truth about the man who made Roman
Britain. Was Tacitus an unreliable narrator?
Bar
Kokhba: The Jew Who Defied Hadrian
and Challenged the Might of Rome
BAR KOKHBA
is the search for the truth of the epic struggle between two
strong-willed leaders over who would rule a nation. One was Hadrian,
the cosmopolitan ruler of the vast Roman Empire, then at its zenith,
who some regarded as divine; the other was Shim'on, a Jewish military
leader in a district of a minor province, who some believed to be the
‘King Messiah'. It is also the tale of the clash of two ancient
cultures. One was the conqueror, seeking to maintain control of its
hard-won dominion; the other was the conquered, seeking to break free
and establish a new nation: Israel. During the ensuing conflict - the
‘Second Jewish War' - the highly motivated Jewish militia sorely
tested the highly trained professional Roman army. The rebels
withstood the Roman onslaught for three-and-a-half years (AD 132 -
136). They established an independent nation with its own
administration, headed by Shim'on as its president. The outcome of
that David and Goliath contest was of great consequence, both for the
people of Judaea and for Judaism itself. So, who was this insurgent
Shim'on known today as ‘Bar Kokhba'? How did Hadrian, the Roman
emperor who built the famous Wall in northern Britain, respond to the
challenger? And how, in later ages, did this rebel with a cause
become a hero for the Jews in the Diaspora longing for the foundation
of a new Israel in modern times? This book describes the author's
personal journey across three continents to establish the facts. _BAR
KOKHBA_ is lucidly written by the author of the mould-breaking
Augustus at War and the acclaimed biographies Germanicus and Marcus
Agrippa. Drawing on archaeology, art, coins, inscriptions, militaria,
as well as secular and religious documents, Lindsay Powell presents a
fascinating account of the people and events at a crucial time in
world history
Twelve
Caesars:
Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern
by Mary
Beard
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From
the bestselling author of SPQR: A
History of Ancient Rome, the
fascinating story of how images of Roman autocrats have influenced
art, culture, and the representation of power for more than 2,000
years What does the face of power look
like? Who gets commemorated in art and why? And how do we react to
statues of politicians we deplore? In this book—against a
background of today’s “sculpture wars”—Mary Beard tells the
story of how for more than two millennia portraits of the rich,
powerful, and famous in the western world have been shaped by the
image of Roman emperors, especially the “Twelve Caesars,” from
the ruthless Julius Caesar to the fly-torturing Domitian. Twelve
Caesars asks why these murderous autocrats
have loomed so large in art from antiquity and the Renaissance to
today, when hapless leaders are still caricatured as Neros fiddling
while Rome burns. Beginning with the importance of imperial portraits
in Roman politics, this richly illustrated book offers a tour through
2,000 years of art and cultural history, presenting a fresh look at
works by artists from Memling and Mantegna to the nineteenth-century
American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, as well as by generations of
weavers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, printers, and ceramicists.
Rather than a story of a simple repetition of stable, blandly
conservative images of imperial men and women, Twelve
Caesars is an unexpected tale of changing
identities, clueless or deliberate misidentifications, fakes, and
often ambivalent representations of authority. From Beard’s
reconstruction of Titian’s extraordinary lost Room of the Emperors
to her reinterpretation of Henry VIII’s famous Caesarian
tapestries, Twelve Caesars
includes fascinating detective work and offers a gripping story of
some of the most challenging and disturbing portraits of power ever
created. Published in association with the Center for Advanced Study
in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
The
Antonine Romans and Deva: Roman Chester Awaits!
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Tribune
Lacitus has received new orders to travel to Deva (Roman Chester).
His mission is to save Deva from falling, with an attack from the
local tribe imminent. Can Tribune Lacitus and his brother Centurion
Antallius, survive and succeed?
Cornelia
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In 2012 treasure-hunters stumble upon an exceptional find near the town
of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria – the tomb of the Roman Empress Cornelia
Supera, who remains hitherto almost unknown to history. What they find
next to her remains will entangle in a complex knot the destinies of
people from different countries and of different social status.
Cornelia’s inheritance is desired by American millionaires, English
lords and Bulgarian Mafia bosses. At the center of all events is Alex, a
professor at a local university, whose big passion are ancient coins.
While chasing the unique aureus struck in the name of the Empress, he
will have to ask himself many difficult questions and find the answers.After eighteen centuries of oblivion, Cornelia finds a way to tell her story and to reveal an extraordinary woman – intelligent and with the ambition to change history. Together with her husband, the Emperor Aemilius Aemilianus, she will go through all stages of ascent and fall to sink into the mist of time and to again appear triumphantly from it. Cornelia’s story will shake our understanding of the history of Rome and its Balkan provinces in the 3rd century CE.
Roman
Britain's Missing Legion:
What Really Happened to IX Hispana?
Legio IX
Hispana had a long and active history, later founding York from where
it guarded the northern frontiers in Britain. But the last evidence
for its existence in Britain comes from AD 108. The mystery of their
disappearance has inspired debate and imagination for decades. The
most popular theory, immortalized in Rosemary Sutcliffe's novel _The
Eagle of the Ninth_, is that the legion was sent to fight the
Caledonians in Scotland and wiped out there. But more recent
archaeology (including evidence that London was burnt to the ground
and dozens of decapitated heads) suggests a crisis, not on the border
but in the heart of the province, previously thought to have been
peaceful at this time. What if IX Hispana took part in a rebellion,
leading to their punishment, disbandment and _damnatio memoriae_
(official erasure from the records)? This proposed ‘Hadrianic War'
would then be the real context for Hadrian's ‘visit' in 122 with a
whole legion, VI Victrix, which replaced the ‘vanished' IX as the
garrison at York. Other theories are that it was lost on the Rhine or
Danube, or in the East. Simon Elliott considers the evidence for
these four theories, and other possibilities.
Gaius
Marius: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Saviour
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Gaius
Marius was one of the most remarkable and significant figures of the
late Roman Republic. At a time when power tended to be restricted to
a clique of influential families, he rose from relatively humble
origins to attain the top office of consul. He even went on to hold
the post an unprecedented seven times. His political career
flourished but was primarily built on military success. First serving
in the Numantine War in Spain, he later rose to high command and
brought a long-running war in North Africa to a successful
conclusion, bringing the Numidian King Jurgurtha back in chains. His
return was timely as northern barbarian tribes threatened Italy and
had previously defeated several Roman armies. Marius reformed and
retrained the Republic's forces and decisively defeated the invaders
that had easily overpowered his predecessors. Marius' subsequent
career was primarily that of an elder statesman, but it was dominated
by his rivalry with his erstwhile subordinate, Sulla, which
ultimately led to the latter's bloody coup. Marius, once hailed as
the saviour of Rome, eventually became a desperate fugitive,
literally fleeing for his life from his pursuers. However, after
several harrowing brushes with death, Marius seized an opportunity to
return to Rome and mete out justice to his enemies, which tarnished
his once-enviable reputation.
Book 6: The
Antonine Romans and Burnswark Hill
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A
direct order from The Emperor - Antoninus Pius for the complete
destruction of Burnswark Hill. Can Jamis be rescued before the brutal
assault? The destruction of Burnswark Hill and the survival of Jamis
with his Negotiation Skills, are seen as vital for success in The
Northern Frontier.
Cleopatra, Queen of Exile
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CLEOPATRA,
QUEEN OF EXILE. Cleopatra is an Infinitely vain, highly intelligent,
cunning, a gambler, seductive, queen but over underestimates her
brother. When it looks like she’ll soon lose her head, she gets her
servants to spirit her out of her palace at night – hidden in a
rolled-up rug. and loses her crown to her husband-brother, Ptolemy.Once
safely on the road in the desert with a small contingent of loyal
servants, she struggles to raise an army to retake her throne. Cleopatra
is unused to desert life and is forced to put up with hardships and
indignities her privileged upbringing has ill prepared her for. On top
of that, she’s forced to stoop to dealing with the lowly desert King
Azar in order to find an army for her cause. Well before Cleopatra
flees, Greek Oligarchy's wives, who pull the strings from behind the
scenes in Rome, manipulate a Roman General, Julius Caesar, to invade
Europe for their own profit and his. Caesar then takes matters into his
own hands and seeks to use his new wealth to manipulate Cleopatra for
his own interests posing as Cleopatra 's benefactor so that he can gain
Egypt and Rome at one time. Cleopatra has her own ideas about who is
going to manipulate who. After 16 months on the run and just when she
succeeds in raising an army, Cleopatra learns that the Romans, led by
Julius Caesar, have intervened in Egypt. Carried in the rolled-up rug,
Cleopatra returns to throw herself at Caesar’s mercy.
The wall
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It's the
year 410 AD. The Roman Army commander in ENGLAND, wakes up and finds
orders to evacuate all troops and families,immediately.Two Roman
teenagers of different class, cross paths and work together to
survive the march home.
***New Book***
A Military
Life of Constantine the Great
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Much of
Constantine I's claim to lasting fame rests upon his sponsorship of
Christianity, and many works have been published assessing whether
his apparent conversion was a real religious experience or a cynical
political manoeuvre. However his path to sole rule of the Roman
Empire depended more upon the ruthless application of military might
than upon his espousal of Christianity. He fought numerous campaigns,
many of them against Roman rivals for Imperial power, most famously
defeating Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. In this new
study, Ian Hughes assesses whether Constantine would have deserved
the title 'the Great' for his military achievements alone, or whether
the epithet depends upon the gratitude of Christian historians. All
of Constantine's campaigns are narrated and his strategic and
tactical decisions analysed. The organization, strengths and
weaknesses of the Roman army he inherited are described and the
effect of both his and his predecessors' reforms discussed. The
result is a fresh analysis of this pivotal figure in European history
from a military perspective.
***New Book***
The Dark
Side of Glory
Abigail is
a young girl growing up in Judea during the last turbulent years of
the reign of Herod the Great. Orphaned at age ten, she is taken in by
her uncle, a sophisticated man who contrasts sharply with her
father’s dogmatic piety. Under his care, Abigail develops into a
cultured young woman free from the shackles of religion.Meanwhile,
the land becomes bathed in the tyranny of Herod’s successor. In
reaction, Rome removes him and asserts direct rule over Judea.
Extremists rise to throw off the Roman yoke, and the country teeters
on the verge of another civil war. Caught in the storm of religious
fanaticism, Abigail soon faces an expanding malevolence that engulfs
not just her but all whom she loves.No matter where she goes, the
tumultuous turns of history are always close. Yet her struggles in
defeating her enemies must continue until she can uncover the source
of the malice that seeks to grind her fate into nothing but dust.
***New Book***
The
Antonine Romans and The Gladiators
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A
Gladiator Fight at the Trimontium Amphitheatre, Scottish Borders,
holds the fate of Tribune Lacitus and his family. His brother -
Centurion Antallius has his own battles to overcome with the attack
on Balmuildy Fort. The exciting fifth Novella in The Antonine Romans
Series
Romulus: The Legend of Rome's Founding Father
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According to legend, Romulus was born to a Vestal Virgin and left for
dead as an infant near the Tiber River. His life nearly ended as quickly
as it began, but fate had other plans. A humble shepherd rescued the
child and helped raise him into manhood. As Romulus grew older, he
fearlessly engaged in a series of perilous adventures that ultimately
culminated in Rome's founding, and he became its fabled first king.
Establishing a new city had its price, and Romulus was forced to defend
the nascent community. As he tirelessly safeguarded Rome, Romulus proved
that he was a competent leader and talented general. Yet, he also
harboured a dark side, which reared its head in many ways and tainted
his legacy, but despite all of his misdeeds, redemption and subsequent
triumphs were usually within his grasp. Indeed, he is an example of how
greatness is sometimes born of disgrace. Regardless of his foreboding
flaws, Rome allegedly existed because of him and became massively
successful. As the centuries passed, the Romans never forgot their
celebrated founder. This is the story that many ancient Romans believed.
Rome Is Burning
Drawing on
new archaeological evidence, an authoritative history of Rome's Great
Fire-and how it inflicted lasting harm on the Roman Empire According
to legend, the Roman emperor Nero set fire to his majestic imperial
capital on the night of July 19, AD 64 and fiddled while the city
burned. It's a story that has been told for more than two
millennia-and it's likely that almost none of it is true. In Rome Is
Burning, distinguished Roman historian Anthony Barrett sets the
record straight, providing a comprehensive and authoritative account
of the Great Fire of Rome, its immediate aftermath, and its damaging
longterm consequences for the Roman world. Drawing on remarkable new
archaeological discoveries and sifting through all the literary
evidence, he tells what is known about what actually happened-and
argues that the disaster was a turning point in Roman history, one
that ultimately led to the fall of Nero and the end of the dynasty
that began with Julius Caesar. Rome Is Burning tells how the fire
destroyed much of the city and threw the population into panic. It
describes how it also destroyed Nero's golden image and provoked a
financial crisis and currency devaluation that made a permanent
impact on the Roman economy. Most importantly, the book surveys, and
includes many photographs of, recent archaeological evidence that
shows visible traces of the fire's destruction. Finally, the book
describes the fire's continuing afterlife in literature, opera,
ballet, and film. A richly detailed and scrupulously factual
narrative of an event that has always been shrouded in myth, Rome Is
Burning promises to become the standard account of the Great Fire of
Rome for our time.
***New Book***
Gladius:
Living, Fighting and Dying in the Roman Army
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The Roman
army was the greatest fighting machine the ancient world produced.
The Roman Empire depended on soldiers not just to win its wars,
defend its frontiers and control the seas but also to act as the
engine of the state. Roman legionaries and auxiliaries came from
across the Roman world and beyond. They served as tax collectors,
policemen, surveyors, civil engineers and, if they survived, in
retirement as civic worthies, craftsmen and politicians. Some even
rose to become emperors.
Gladius
takes the reader right into the heart of what it meant to be a part
of the Roman army through the words of Roman historians, and those of
the men themselves through their religious dedications, tombstones,
and even private letters and graffiti. Guy de la Bédoyère throws
open a window on how the men, their wives and their children lived,
from bleak frontier garrisons to guarding the emperor in Rome,
enjoying a ringside seat to history fighting the emperors' wars,
mutinying over pay, marching in triumphs, throwing their weight
around in city streets, and enjoying esteem in honorable retirement.
***New Book***
The
Emperor's Exile
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A.D. 57.
Battle-scarred veterans of the Roman army Tribune Cato and Centurion
Macro return to Rome. Thanks to the failure of their recent campaign
on the eastern frontier they face a hostile reception at the imperial
court. Their reputations and future are at stake.
When
Emperor Nero's infatuation with his mistress is exploited by
political enemies, he reluctantly banishes her into exile. Cato,
isolated and unwelcome in Rome, is forced to escort her to Sardinia.
Arriving
on the restless, simmering island with a small cadre of officers,
Cato faces peril on three fronts: a fractured command, a deadly
plague spreading across the province...and a violent insurgency
threatening to tip the province into blood-stained chaos.
***New Book***
Britannia AD 43: The Claudian Invasion (Campaign)
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For the
Romans, Britannia lay beyond the comfortable confines of the
Mediterranean world around which classical civilisation had
flourished. Britannia was felt to be at the outermost edge of the
world itself, lending the island an air of dangerous mystique.
To the
soldiers crossing the Oceanus Britannicus in the late summer of AD
43, the prospect of invading an island believed to be on its
periphery must have meant a mixture of panic and promise. These men
were part of a formidable army of four veteran legions (II Augusta,
VIIII Hispana, XIIII Gemina, XX Valeria), which had been assembled
under the overall command of Aulus Plautius Silvanus. Under him were,
significantly, first-rate legionary commanders, including the future
emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus. With the auxiliary units, the
total invasion force probably mounted to around 40,000 men, but
having assembled at Gessoriacum (Boulogne) they refused to embark.
Eventually, the mutinous atmosphere was dispelled, and the invasion
fleet sailed in three contingents.
So,
ninety-seven years after Caius Iulius Caesar, the Roman army landed
in south-eastern Britannia. After a brisk summer campaign, a province
was established behind a frontier zone running from what is now Lyme
Bay on the Dorset coast to the Humber estuary. Though the territory
overrun during the first campaign season was undoubtedly small, it
laid the foundations for the Roman conquest which would soon begin to
sweep across Britannia.
In this
highly illustrated and detailed title, Nic Fields tells the full
story of the invasion which established the Romans in Britain,
explaining how and why the initial Claudian invasion succeeded and
what this meant for the future of Britain.
***New Book***
How to
Survive in Ancient Rome
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Imagine
you were transported back in time to Ancient Rome and you had to
start a new life there. How would you fit in? Where would you live?
What would you eat? Where would you go to have your hair done? Who
would you go to if you got ill, or if you were mugged in the street?
All these questions, and many more, will be answered in this new
how-to guide for time travellers. Part self-help guide, part survival
guide, this lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with
the many problems and new experiences that they will face, and also
help them to thrive in this strange new environment.
***New Book***
The fourth
Novella
The
Antonine Romans and The Tribune's Mission
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Tribune Lacitus must use all his skill if he is to save
himself, his brother Centurion Antallius of Balmuildy Roman Fort and
his father Senior Tribune Rexis of Trimontium Roman Fort.
***New Book***
Romans at War:
The Roman Military in the Republic and Empire
By Simon Elliott
The Roman Military in the Republic and Empire
By Simon Elliott
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In Romans at War
ground-breaking research is presented in an accessible, entertaining,
and sumptuously illustrated format, including: • A new
consideration of the nature of late Roman military leaders; the
author argues they were effectively independent warlords. • Cutting
edge research regarding the Severan campaigns to conquer Scotland in
the early 3rd century AD. • A new analysis of the nature of late
Roman troops, both mounted and foot. The Roman military machine was
the pre-eminent in the ancient world, projecting power across the
known world over a vast chronology, and an increasing huge and
diverse geography. One of the most powerful instruments of war in the
history of conflict, it proved uniquely adept at learning from
setbacks, always coming back the stronger for it. In so doing it
displayed two of the most important traits associated with the world
of Rome. Firstly grit, that key ability to remain steadfast and to
overcome adversity, even in the most challenging of circumstances, as
faced for example by the Republic in the Second Punic War against
Hannibal. Secondly, the ability to copy the successful technical and
tactical innovations of their enemies, enabling the Roman military to
always stay one step ahead of its opponents on campaign and in
battle. In this grand tour covering every aspect of the Roman
military, leading expert Dr Simon Elliott first provides a detailed
background to the Roman Republic and Empire to provide context for
all that follows. He then looks specifically at the Roman military in
its three key chronological phases: the Republic, the Principate
Empire and the Dominate Empire. Next he forensically examines
specific examples of the Roman military on campaign and in battle,
and of its engineering prowess. Finally, he examines the many enemies
faced by the Roman Republic and Empire. This all provides a firm
structure to enable the reader to come to grips with this incredible
military machine, one whose exploits still resonate in the world to
this very day.
***New Book***
Philip and
Alexander: Kings and Conquerors
by Adrian
Goldsworthy
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Philip
and Alexander of Macedon transformed a weak kingdom in northern
Greece into a globe-spanning empire. In so doing, they changed the
course of history.
By the end of his short life,
Alexander the Great had eclipsed the power of Persia, crossed the
Hindu Kush and marched into what is now Pakistan, redrawing the map
of the ancient world to create an empire that stretched from the
Adriatic Sea to the Indian subcontinent. But his success was not just
the product of his own genius and restless energy, it was built on
decades of effort by his father. History has portrayed Philip II of
Macedon as an old man, one-eyed and limping, whose convenient
assassination allowed Alexander the Great to come to power. However,
there was far more to him than this. Through decades of hard fighting
and clever diplomacy, Philip unified his country and conquered
Greece. His son inherited all of this at the perfect moment and age
for him to chance his luck and win greater glory. Between them,
Philip and Alexander played a key role in spreading Greek language
and culture over a vast area, the consequences of which were many and
profound, for it led to the New Testament being written in Greek, and
a Greek-speaking 'Roman' empire surviving in the eastern
Mediterranean for a thousand years after the last emperor to rule
from Italy.
As authoritative as it is accessible,
Philip and Alexander is the latest in a much-praised sequence of
essential ancient histories from Adrian Goldsworthy; it is the work
of a master historian at the peak of his powers.
Living on
the Edge of Empire
The Objects and People of Hadrian's Wall
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Dr Rob
Collins and the curators of the remarkable collections from Hadrian's
Wall present a striking new contribution to understanding the
archaeology of a Roman frontier. This highly-illustrated volume
showcases the artefacts recovered from archaeological investigations
along Hadrian's Wall in order to examine the daily lives of those
living along the Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire. Presented by
theme, no other book offers such a diverse and thorough range of the
rich material culture of the Wall. The accompanying text provides an
ethnographic perspective, guiding us through the everyday lives of
the people of frontier communities, from the Commanding Officer to
the local farmer. This holistic view allows us an insight into the
homes and communities, how people dressed, what they ate and drank,
their religions and beliefs, domestic and military forms of security,
and how they conducted their business and pleasure.
***New Book***
Dagger and Vow:
An Adventure in Ancient Rome (Forgotten Heroes of Rome)
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Marcus
Varro is content to work on his father’s farm, selling barley in the
markets of Rome. He has vowed to uphold a simple life of peace. Then the
Roman Legions find him. A war that should not be sweeps Varro from his
idyllic farm and carries him across the Aegean Sea to a land under
siege. His vow of peace is stretched to its limits as he is plunged into
blood and battle. The ceaseless march of the Republican Roman Army
spares none.Yet a greater threat stalks Varro, more dangerous and more
personal than any enemy soldier. Can he survive in an army where he
faces swords to his front and daggers at his back?
The Reign
of Emperor Gallienus: The Apogee of Roman Cavalry
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This is
the only fully illustrated military life of the Emperor Publius
Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (253-268). Considered the most blatantly
military man of all of the soldier emperors of the third century,
Gallienus is the emperor in Harry Sidebottom's bestselling Warrior of
Rome novels. Gallienus faced more simultaneous usurpations and
foreign invasions than any other emperor, but somehow he managed to
survive. Dr. Ilkka Syvanne explains how this was possible. It was
largely thanks to the untiring efforts of Gallienus that the Roman
Empire survived for another 1,200 years. Gallienus was a notorious
libertarian, womanizer, and cross-dresser, but he was also a fearless
warrior, duellist and general all at the same time. This monograph
explains why he was loved by the soldiers,yet so intensely hated by
some officers that they killed him in a conspiracy. The year 2018 is
the 1,800th anniversary of Gallienus' date of birth and the 1,750th
anniversary of his date of death. The Reign of Gallienus celebrates
the life and times of this great man.
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A
fairytale marriage that goes terribly wrong, a ruling dynasty
struggling to keep everything together by having overly ambitious
eunuchs do the dirty work, and prominent Roman generals who dream of
taking the throne for themselves.
This
explosive mixture of occurrences takes place in the 10th century
Medieval Roman Empire (aka The Byzantine Empire). An era of
territorial resurgence and massive Imperial extravagance, but also an
era of dynastic intrigues and endless plotting for the ultimate
prize. The Byzantine throne.
During
that time, Anastasia , a common girl, marries the heir to the throne,
enters the palace and becomes Theophano an ambitious woman ready to
climb the ladder of power and sacrifice herself for her children.
Based on
real historical events, this epic graphic novel offers an immersion
into a forgotten world. The world of the medieval Romans who survived
up until the Middle Ages with their capital, Constantinople "the
Queen of all cities" serving as a second Rome.
The Life
and Death of Ancient Cities: A Natural History
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It is a tale of war and politics, pestilence and famine, triumph and tragedy, by turns both fabulous and squalid. Its focus is on the ancient Mediterranean: Greeks and Romans at the centre, but Phoenicians and Etruscans, Persians, Gauls, and Egyptians all play a part.
The Roman Occupation of Britain and its Legacy
By Sir Rupert Jackson
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This book tells the
fascinating story of Roman Britain, beginning with the late pre-Roman
Iron Age and ending with the province's independence from Roman rule
in AD 409. Incorporating for the first time the most recent
archaeological discoveries from Hadrian's Wall, London and other
sites across the country, and richly illustrated throughout with
photographs and maps, this reliable and up-to-date new account is
essential reading for students, non-specialists and general readers
alike. Writing in a clear, readable and lively style (with a
satirical eye to strange features of past times), Rupert Jackson
draws on current research and new findings to deepen our
understanding of the role played by Britain in the Roman Empire,
deftly integrating the ancient texts with new archaeological
material. A key theme of the book is that Rome's annexation of
Britain was an imprudent venture, motivated more by political
prestige than economic gain, such that Britain became a 'trophy
province' unable to pay its own way. However, the impact that Rome
and its provinces had on this distant island was nevertheless
profound: huge infrastructure projects transformed the countryside
and means of travel, capital and principal cities emerged, and the
Roman way of life was inseparably absorbed into local traditions.
Many of those transformations continue to resonate to this day, as we
encounter their traces in both physical remains and in civic life.
Pertinax:
The Son of a Slave Who Became Roman Emperor
by Simon Elliott
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book at https://amzn.to/2P7POFB
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Kindle edition at https://amzn.to/34VMeHUThe son of
a former slave, Pertinax was the Roman Emperor who proved that no
matter how lowly your birth, you could rise to the very top through
hard work, grit and determination. Born in AD 126, he made a late
career change from working as a grammar teacher to a position in the
army. As he moved up the ranks and further along the aristocratic
cursus honorum, he took on many of the most important postings in the
Empire, from senior military roles in fractious Britain, the
Marcomannic Wars on the Danube, to the Parthian Wars in the east. He
held governorships in key provinces, and later consulships in Rome
itself. When Emperor Commodus was assassinated on New Year's Eve AD
192/193, the Praetorian Guard alighted on Pertinax to become the new
Emperor, expecting a pliable puppet who would favour them with great
wealth. But Pertinax was nothing of the sort and when he then
attempted to reform the Guard, he was assassinated. His death
triggered the beginning of the Year of the Five Emperors' from which
Septimius Severus, Pertinax's former mentoree, became the ultimate
victor and founder of the Severan Dynasty. This previously untold
story brings a fascinating and important figure out of the shadows. A
self made everyman, a man of principle and ambition, a role model
respected by his contemporaries who styled himself on his
philosophising predecessor and sometime champion Marcus Aurelius,
Pertinax's remarkable story offers a unique and panoramic insight
into the late 2nd century AD Principate Empire.
The
Conquest of Gaul By Julius Caesar
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Between 58
and 50BC Caesar conquered most of the area now covered by France,
Belgium and Switzerland, and twice invaded Britain. This is the
record of his campaigns.
Caesar's narrative offers insights into his military strategy & paints a fascinating picture of his encounters with the inhabitant of Gaul and Britain, as well as offering lively portraits of a number of key characters such as the rebel leaders and Gallic chieftains. This can also be read as a piece of political propaganda, as Caesar sets down his version of events for the Roman public, knowing that he faces civil war on his return to Rome.
SPQR:
A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard
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Mary
Beard's book on the Roman Republic including Romulus and Remus, Cicero
etc and finishes with the Emperors up to Caracalla. Mary Beard asks
probing questions in this book. Just how right was Cicero? Just what
evidence is there that Caligula made his horse a consul? What about the
lives of the 'forgotten' people like slaves and women?
Septimius
Severus in Scotland:
The Northern Campaigns of the First Hammer of
the Scots
by Simon Elliott
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Since 1975
much new archaeological evidence has come to light to illuminate the
immense undertaking of Septimius Severus campaigns in Scotland,
allowing for the first time the true story of this savage invasion to
be told. In the early 3rd century Severus, the aging Roman emperor,
launched an immense shock and awe assault on Scotland that was so
savage it resulted in eighty years of peace at Romes most troublesome
border. The book shows how his force of 50,000 troops, supported by
the fleet, hacked their way through the Maeatae around the former
Antonine Wall and then pressed on into Caledonian territory up to the
Moray Firth.Severus was the first of the great reforming emperors of
the Roman military, and his reforms are explained in the context of
how he concentrated power around the imperial throne. There is also
an in-depth look at the political, economic and social developments
that occurred in the Province.This book is aimed at all who have an
interest in both military and Roman history. It will particularly
appeal to those who are keen to learn more about the narrative of
Romes military presence in Britain, and especially the great
campaigns of which Severus assault on Scotland is the best example.
Nero:
Emperor and Court
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This book
portrays Nero, not as the murderous tyrant of tradition, but as a
young man ever-more reluctant to fulfil his responsibilities as
emperor and ever-more anxious to demonstrate his genuine skills as a
sportsman and artist. This reluctance caused him to allow others to
rule, and rule surprisingly well, in his name. On its own terms, the
Neronian empire was in fact remarkably successful. Nero's senior
ministers were many and various, but notably they included a number
of powerful women, such as his mother, Agrippina II, and his second
and third wives, Poppaea Sabina and Statilia Messalina. Using the
most recent archaeological, epigraphic, numismatic and literary
research, the book explores issues such as court-politics, banter and
free speech; literary, technological and scientific advances; the
Fire of 64, 'the persecution of Christians' and Nero's 'Golden
House'; and the huge underlying strength, both constitutional and
financial, of the Julio-Claudian empire.
Caracalla:
A Military Biography
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Caracalla
has one of the worst reputations of any Roman Emperor. Many ancient
historians were very hostile and Edward Gibbon later dubbed him 'the
common enemy of mankind'. Yet his reign was considered by at least
one Roman author to be the apogee of the Roman Empire. Guilty of many
murders and massacres (including his own brother, ex-wife and
daughter) he was, however, popular with the army, improving their pay
and cultivating the image of sharing their hardships. Surprisingly
this is the first full-length biography of this colourful character
in English. Ilkka Syvanne explains how the biased ancient sources in
combination with the stern looking statues of the emperor have
created a distorted image of the man and then reconstructs the actual
events, particularly his military campaigns and reforms, to offer a
balanced view of his reign. The biography offers the first complete
overview of the policies, events and military campaigns of the reign
and explains how and why these contributed to the military crisis of
the third century.
The Edge
of the Empire: A Journey to Britannia
From the Heart of Rome to
Hadrian's Wall
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AD 130.
Rome is the dazzling heart of a vast empire and Hadrian its most
complex and compelling ruler. Faraway Britannia is one of the Romans'
most troublesome provinces: here the sun is seldom seen and "the
atmosphere in the country is always gloomy."
What
awaits the traveller to Britannia? How will you get there? What do
you need to pack? What language will you speak? How does London
compare to Rome? Are there any tourist attractions? And what dangers
lurk behind Hadrian's new Wall?
Combining
an extensive range of Greek and Latin sources with a sound
understanding of archaeology, Bronwen Riley describes an epic journey
from Rome to Hadrian's Wall at the empire's northwestern frontier. In
this strikingly original history of Roman Britain, she evokes the
smells, sounds, colors, and sensations of life in the second century.
by Julius Caesar
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Originally composed for
propaganda purposes, Julius Caesar’s The Gallic Wars
(Commentarii de Bello Gallico) or war diary is one of the
earliest examples of a military science manual, detailing arms
technology, tactical maneuvers, battlefield politics, espionage,
intelligence and even the role played by luck in ground and sea
campaigns. Nine years of fighting is condensed into a tight treatise
rendered in lavish, cinematic prose. Caesar’s superior forces crush
one defiant Gallic, German and Belgian tribe after another with
precise efficiency until an area of almost 200,000 square miles has
been conquered. Epic shock-and-awe battle sequences are balanced with
quiet scenes of diplomacy and political negotiations that offer
useful strategic insight.
Legions of Rome: The
definitive history of every Roman legion
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No book on Roman
history has attempted to do what Stephen Dando-Collins does in
Legions of Rome: to provide a complete history of every Imperial
Roman legion and what it achieved as a fighting force. The author has
spent the last thirty years collecting every scrap of available
evidence from numerous sources: stone and bronze inscriptions, coins,
papyrus and literary accounts in a remarkable feat of historical
detective work. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 provides
a detailed account of what the legionaries wore and ate, what camp
life was like, what they were paid and how they were motivated and
punished. The section also contains numerous personal histories of
individual soldiers. Part 2 offers brief unit histories of all the
legions that served Rome for 300 years from 30BC. Part 3 is a
sweeping chronological survey of the campaigns in which the armies
were involved, told from the point of view of particular legions.
Lavish, authoritative and beautifully produced, Legions of Rome will
appeal to ancient history enthusiasts and military history buffs
alike.
The Aeneid
By Virgil
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After a
century of civil strife in Rome and Italy, Virgil wrote the Aeneid
to honour the emperor Augustus by praising his legendary ancestor
Aeneas. As a patriotic epic imitating Homer, the Aeneid also
set out to provide Rome with a literature equal to that of Greece. It
tells of Aeneas, survivor of the sack of Troy, and of his seven-year
journey: to Carthage, where he falls tragically in love with Queen
Dido; then to the underworld,; and finally to Italy, where he founds
Rome. It is a story of defeat and exile, of love and war, hailed by
Tennyson as 'the stateliest measure ever moulded by the lips of man'.
The
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
by Edward
Gibbon
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Spanning
thirteen centuries from the age of Trajan to the taking of
Constantinople by the Turks, DECLINE & FALL is one of the
greatest narratives in European Literature. David Womersley's
masterly selection and bridging commentary enables the readerto
acquire a general sense of the progress and argument of the whole
work and displays the full variety of Gibbon's achievement.
Cicero
Selected Works
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Collecting
the most incisive and influential writings of one of Rome's finest
orators, Cicero's Selected Works is translated with an introduction
by Michael Grant in Penguin Classics.
Lawyer,
philosopher, statesman and defender of Rome's Republic, Cicero was a
master of eloquence, and his pure literary and oratorical style and
strict sense of morality have been a powerful influence on European
literature and thought for over two thousand years in matters of
politics, philosophy, and faith. This selection demonstrates the
diversity of his writings, and includes letters to friends and
statesmen on Roman life and politics; the vitriolic Second Philippic
Against Antony; and his two most famous philosophical treatises, On
Duties and On Old Age - a celebration of his own declining years.
Written at a time of brutal political and social change, Cicero's
lucid ethical writings formed the foundation of the Western liberal
tradition in political and moral thought that continues to this day.
The Return
by Harry Sidebottom
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He came home a hero.
But death isn't
finished with him yet . . .
145BC - CALABRIA,
ANCIENT ROME. After years of spilling blood for Rome, Gaius Furius
Paullus has returned home to spend his remaining days working quietly
on the family farm.
But it seems death has
stalked Paullus from the battlefield. Just days after his arrival,
bodies start appearing - murdered and mutilated. And as the deaths
stack up, and panic spreads, the war hero becomes the prime suspect.
After all, Paullus has killed countless enemies on the battlefield -
could he have brought his habit home with him?
With the psychological
effects of combat clouding every thought, Paullus must use all his
soldier's instincts to hunt the real killer. Because if they are not
brought to justice soon, he may become the next victim.
The Realm
of a God
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Rome is
crumbling. Beyond the Alps, the barbarian tribes are gathering. As
part of a peace agreement, Servius, a young Burgundian prince,
arrives as a hostage at the emperor’s court. Set to work in the
imperial stables Servius soon makes new friends, but as he waits to
become a soldier the world around him is changing. The emperor is ill
and the succession in doubt. As others plot, Servius departs for Rome
to seize two champion racehorses. Faced by the jealousy of the Anicii
and the blood curdling brutality of the bagaudae, he can only survive
by protecting the emperor’s honour ….
Ammianus Marcellinus The Later Roman Empire: (AD 354-378)
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Ammianus
Marcellinus was the last great Roman historian, and his writings rank
alongside those of Livy and Tacitus. The Later Roman Empire
chronicles a period of twenty-five years during Marcellinus' own
lifetime, covering the reigns of Constantius, Julian, Jovian,
Valentinian I, and Valens, and providing eyewitness accounts of
significant military events including the Battle of Strasbourg and
the Goth's Revolt. Portraying a time of rapid and dramatic change,
Marcellinus describes an Empire exhausted by excessive taxation,
corruption, the financial ruin of the middle classes and the
progressive decline in the morale of the army. In this magisterial
depiction of the closing decades of the Roman Empire, we can see the
seeds of events that were to lead to the fall of the city, just
twenty years after Marcellinus' death.
Masinissa: Ally of Carthage (Book 1)
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Masinissa: Ally of Carthage is the first part of the story of the experiences of the Numidian Prince and later King Masinissa during the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage. Masinissa s involvement in the war was substantial, even pivotal, and he is still revered today across North Africa as the founding father of the Amazigh/Berber people.The story begins in 2013 BC in Carthage, which has been Masinissa s home for several years. He has fallen in love with Sophonisba, the beautiful daughter of one of the most senior Carthaginian generals. The two make promises to one another before Masinissa embarks west to enter the war as the commander of a substantial cavalry division.
In terms of the wider world, Rome and Carthage the most powerful nations of the time have been at war for five years, ever since Hannibal crossed the Alpine passes and inflicted catastrophic and crippling defeats on the Roman armies at the battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene and, most devastatingly, at Cannae, where an army of nearly 90,000 Romans was completely destroyed.
The main theatres of war at this moment are the Roman siege of the Greek city of Syracuse in Sicily which is being innovatively and belligerently defended, not least by the philosopher and scientist Archimedes and the war in Iberia, which Masinissa is about to join with his Numidian forces.
Masinissa: Ally of Rome (Book 2)
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Masinissa: Ally of Rome resumes the story of the Numidian Prince at a moment when he is beginning to question his alliance with the Carthaginian Empire during the Second Punic War. He has been fighting as a cavalry commander on the Iberian Peninsula for several years but the fortunes of war and his own clandestine meeting with the Roman consul Scipio Africanus, ostensibly his sworn enemy, has led him to reconsider his loyalties. His love for the Carthaginian aristocrat Sophonisba, which had blossomed during his period of exile in Carthage, has remained strong during his absence from North Africa. He is due a period of leave in that city shortly to formalise his engagement to her.
At this moment in the war, the Carthaginian forces are attempting to reform their military strength in North Africa and in the strategically important and historically allied southern Iberian city of Gades (present day Cadiz.) For his part, Masinissa has recently retrieved one of the sacred cups of Melqart (Hercules) which had been hidden in a fortress now occupied by the Roman legions. He is presently taking a small contingent of his most loyal troops to the temple dedicated to Melqart which is located close to the city of Gades to return the cup to its proper religious location. The mood of both he and his men on the journey is mutinous.
At this moment in the war, the Carthaginian forces are attempting to reform their military strength in North Africa and in the strategically important and historically allied southern Iberian city of Gades (present day Cadiz.) For his part, Masinissa has recently retrieved one of the sacred cups of Melqart (Hercules) which had been hidden in a fortress now occupied by the Roman legions. He is presently taking a small contingent of his most loyal troops to the temple dedicated to Melqart which is located close to the city of Gades to return the cup to its proper religious location. The mood of both he and his men on the journey is mutinous.
The Roman Army
The
Greatest War Machine of the Ancient World
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The image of the Roman
legionary is as familiar today as it was to the citizens - and
enemies - of the vast Roman Empire two thousand years ago. This book
goes beyond the stereotypes found in popular culture to examine the
Roman Army from the first armed citizens of the early Republic
through the glorious heights of the Imperial legions to the shameful
defeats inflicted upon the late Roman Army by the Goths and Huns.
Tracing the development of tactics, equipment and training, this work
provides a detailed insight into the military force that enable Rome
to become the greatest empire the world has ever seen. As well as
describing the changes in the army over the centuries, The Roman Army
also sheds light on the talented men who led these soldiers in battle
and the momentous battles fought, including Cannae, Pharsalus and
Adrianople. Illustrated with detailed maps, artwork and photographs,
this volume provides a complete reference to the Roman Army from the
8th century BC to the period after the fall of the Western Roman
Empire in the 5th century AD.
The Wall at the Edge of the World
Book 5 Damion Hunter Series
Written by Amanda Cockrell
Barbarian Princess - Book 2
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The Emperor's Games - Book 3
The Legions of the Mist - Book 4
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***New Book - Just Launched***
Book 5 Damion Hunter Series
Written by Amanda Cockrell
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Save lives… Or take them? A
gripping novel of the Roman frontier.
Written by Amanda Cockrell
Army Medic
Postumus Justinius Corvus is a long way from his native
Britannia, in the Syrian provinces at the far corner of Empire. But
now he is going home, unexpectedly promoted to Senior Surgeon in the
Sixth. The new Emperor faces problems in the far flung island at the
edge of Empire. Trouble is brewing north of the Wall. The tribes are
stirring, a new conflict is brewing, old and new loyalties will be
tested. Postumus will find himself at the heart of the maelstrom –
and with his hands soaked in blood...
Read The Feature on Amanda Cockrell at
http://romanancienthistory.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html
Books
1-4 in the Damion Hunter SeriesRead The Feature on Amanda Cockrell at
http://romanancienthistory.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_27.html
Written by Amanda Cockrell
The
Centurions - Book 1
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Correus and Flavius are
half-brothers, sons of a brilliant general. One, son of a slave, is a
born warrior destined to excel. The other, a nobleman by birth, must
struggle relentlessly to succeed.When they both join the Centuriate, a
position Flavius has always known he will inherit, and one that
Correus has long coveted, together they face the brutal reality of
war. Fighting German barbarians will prove
dangerous, not only to their bodies, but to their souls as well…
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Barbarian Princess - Book 2
Correus and Flavius,
half brothers and rivals, have found the life of a Centurion to be
dangerous. After imprisonment and torture, Flavius found his strength
and proved his mettle. Correus, son of a slave, found glory on the
battlefield. But now the brothers have been stationed to Wales, a
land of barbarians, mud and freezing rain. Here they must face the
shame of lost battle and the thrill of a new era for their beloved
Rome. And in Wales awaits a prize that could change one of their
lives forever…
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The Emperor's Games - Book 3
Brothers Correus and Flavius
have won respect in service to the Empire. Correus is entrusted with
the honoured task of running the Emperor’s brutal games. Flavius, a
Centurion at his brother’s side, has risen to become the Emperor’s
most trusted advisor. But now Correus has been given a deadly
mission: quelling a barbarian uprising in Germany. While he struggles
to negotiate a treaty that could save the lives of thousands, he
uncovers a deadly plot that could cast the Empire – and his own
family – into ruin…
The Legions of the Mist - Book 4
The Ninth Hispana was once the pride
of the Roman Army, wreathed in honour for numerous successful
campaigns. But by the time it was joined by Centurion Justinius
Corvus, it had clearly fallen on hard times. Smarting from the
sting of his recent demotion, and a transfer to Britain, a land he
despises, Justinius nevertheless works hard to bring to his men some
of the same pride he feels as a Roman soldier. As their bond grows
strong, with each other and with the occupied land, their skill in
combat is tested to its limits against the forces of Vortrix,
High King of the Britons. As the battle lines muster, the fate of an
Army, and of a nation, will be decided...
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***New Book - Just Launched***
The Antonine Romans and The Redemption - Book
3
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AD144 The Antonine Wall, Caledonia, modern-day Scotland. Battles rage amongst individuals and armies.
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AD144 The Antonine Wall, Caledonia, modern-day Scotland. Battles rage amongst individuals and armies.
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AD144 The
Antonine Wall, western Caledonia, modern day Scotland. Chaos reigns
as the Scots seek a new King. As a whole and as individuals, the
Romans and the Scots battle it out.
The Antonine Romans and The Golden Torque - Book
1
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The
Antonine Wall in Western Caledonia, modern-day Scotland, has been
standing for two years. Centurion Andronicus and Optio Scrivinus have
recently been assigned to the Roman Balmuildy Fort and are attempting
to improve the men's fitness and discipline. Soon both the old and
the new world collide. The Romans find themselves amongst the native
tribal chiefs of Jamis, Aritan and Callun. In peace or war can either
side survive?
Augustus:
First Emperor of Rome
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Great-nephew
and principal heir to Julius Caesar, Augustus was just nineteen when
Caesar was murdered, but it seems he was never in doubt of his right
to take over the honours of the older man. His early career was as a
warlord, using the wealth he had inherited and borrowing extensively
to ensure that he had the largest army as the Roman republic
descended into civil war. He was also helped by the loyalty of Julius
Caesar's troops - a loyalty they were willing, on the whole, to
extend to his heir. Having at length achieved internal peace,
Augustus' later career was as a (fairly) benevolent military dictator
who brought stability to Rome and enabled it to extend and, to some
degree, pacify the empire. Adrian Goldsworthy is a recognised
scholar of ancient Rome and has a doctorate from Oxford University in
ancient military history.
Chronicle
of the Roman Emperors: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of
Imperial Rome (Chronicles) Paperback
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this book at https://amzn.to/2DdTsem
This is a
highly readable history and a unique work of reference. Focusing on
the succession of the rulers of imperial Rome, it uses timelines with
at-a-glance visual guides to each reign and its main events.
Biographical portraits of the 56 principal emperors from Augustus to
Constantine, together with a concluding section on the later
emperors, build into a highly readable single-volume history of
imperial Rome.
The
Spartacus War by Barry Strauss
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The story of the most famous revolt of the ancient world, and it's legendary leader, Spartacus the Gladiator. Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who started a prison breakout with 74 men, armed with kitchen knives. It grew into a full-scale rebellion against Rome, the most famous slave revolt in history. With an army of gladiators, ex-slaves and other desperadoes, he managed to defeat a succession of Roman armies and bring the Republic to its knees.
The story of the most famous revolt of the ancient world, and it's legendary leader, Spartacus the Gladiator. Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who started a prison breakout with 74 men, armed with kitchen knives. It grew into a full-scale rebellion against Rome, the most famous slave revolt in history. With an army of gladiators, ex-slaves and other desperadoes, he managed to defeat a succession of Roman armies and bring the Republic to its knees.
The Fate
of the Ninth:
The curious disappearance of one of Rome's legions
One of
Rome's legions is missing! The disappearance of the Ninth Legion is a
mystery that has piqued the interest of historians and archaeologists
since the eighteenth century. They knew that it had formed part of
the Roman garrison of Britain from the time of the emperor Claudius,
but there was no record of its involvement in the great frontier
works of the second century. It seemed simply to have disappeared.
What had happened to it? Now, archaeologist Duncan B. Campbell
follows the trail of research down through the decades in a
meticulously documented account. Registering each new item of
evidence as it came to light and explaining its significance, he
pieces together the unfolding solution to the age-old mystery.
The Twelve Caesars
Pompeii:
The Life of a Roman Town
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The ruins
of Pompeii, buried by an explosion of Vesuvius in 79 CE, offer the
best evidence we have of everyday life in the Roman empire. This
remarkable book rises to the challenge of making sense of those
remains, as well as exploding many myths: the very date of the
eruption, probably a few months later than usually thought; or the
hygiene of the baths which must have been hotbeds of germs; or the
legendary number of brothels, most likely only one; or the massive
death count, maybe less than ten per cent of the population.
The Twelve Caesars
By Suetonius
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As private secretary to the Emperor Hadrian, the scholar Suetonius had
access to the imperial archives and used them (along with eyewitness
accounts) to produce one of the most colourful biographical works in
history. The Twelve Caesars chronicles the public careers and
private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over Rome, from the
foundation of the empire under Julius Caesar and Augustus to the decline
into depravity under Nero and the recovery that came with his
successors. This masterpiece of observation, immortalized in Robert
Graves's classic translation, presents us with a gallery of vividly
drawn - and all too human - individuals.
Book of Fire series
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If you
love all things Roman history and mythology, have you found the Book
of Fire series yet? Based in a dystopian Exeter, the series is
littered with real Roman landmarks & just a few living, breathing
myths too!
The
story follows a wild girl Talia, surviving as a hunter-gatherer in a
treehouse village, after a biochemical Great War of 2025 has
destroyed most of the world. There are two communities: a sealed-off
domed population who believe the outside world to be poisoned, and
Talia’s community of foragers who believe they are the only Great
War survivors - until a chance encounter changes everything…
Book
of Fire is rich in Roman mythology, science and history, and raises
lots of questions about the frequent conflict between nature and
science. Arafel,
Talia’s community, lives in harmony with nature, while Pantheon has
a more sinister ambition involving genetic engineering and mythology
- and all the action is set in and around a war-torn, ruined Exeter!
Reviewed
as ‘The Hunger Games meets Mythology,’ and ‘Percy
Jackson meets The Bone Season’, the books raise questions
about pursuing
scientific advancement, just because we can.
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Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations
of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual
reflections and exercises developed as the emperor struggled to
understand himself and make sense of the universe. While the Meditations
were composed to provide personal consolation and encouragement, Marcus
Aurelius also created one of the greatest of all works of philosophy: a
timeless collection that has been consulted and admired by statesmen,
thinkers and readers throughout the centuries.
Roman
Republican Legionary 298-105 BC
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Soon after the Caudine Forks fiasco in 321 BC, the tactical formation
adopted by the Roman Army underwent a radical change. Introduced as part
of the Servian reforms, the legion had originally operated as a
Greek-style phalanx. Now, however, the Romans adopted the manipular
system, whereby the legion was split into distinct battle lines, each
consisting of tactical subunits, the maniples. Even though still a
citizen militia, recruited from property owners supplying their own war
gear, it was the manipular legion that faced Pyrrhus and his elephants,
the Gauls and their long swords, Hannibal and his tactical genius and
the Macedonians and their pikes to name but a few of its formidable
opponents. This book looks at the recruitment, training, weapons,
equipment and experiences of the legionary at the epoch of the middle
Republic, which opens with the last great war with the Samnites (Third
Samnite War, 298-290 BC) and closes with the Republic at the height of
its imperial glory after the victory in North Africa (Iugurthine War
112-105 BC).
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Bringing
to life the intrigue of ancient Rome, Robert Graves's I, Claudius
is one of the most celebrated, gripping historical novels ever
written
Roman Britain: A New History Paperback
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This
lively, authoritative account of a crucial period in Britains history
has been revised and updated to incorporate the very latest findings
and research. Guy de la Bédoyère the popular face of Romano-British
archaeological studies puts the Roman conquest and occupation within
the larger context of Romano-British society and how it functioned.
Ovid - The Metamorphoses: (Penguin Classics)
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Ovid's
sensuous and witty poem begins with the creation of the world and
brings together a dazzling array of mythological tales, ingeniously
linked by the idea of transformation
Septimius
Severus and the Roman Army
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The
assassination of Emperor Commodus in 192 sparked a civil war.
Septimius Severus emerged as the eventual victor and his dynasty (the
Severans) ruled until 235.
Constantine
the Emperor
By
David Potter
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emperor had a greater impact on the modern world than did
Constantine. The reason is not simply that he converted to
Christianity, but that he did so in a way that brought his subjects
along after him. Indeed, this major new biography argues that
Constantine's conversion is but one feature of a unique
administrative style that enabled him to take control of an empire
beset by internal rebellions and external threats by Persians and
Goths. The vast record of Constantine's administration reveals a
government careful in its exercise of power but capable of ruthless,
even savage, actions. Constantine executed (or drove to suicide) his
father-in-law, two brothers-in-law, his eldest son, and his once
beloved wife. An unparalleled general throughout his life, planning a
major assault on the Sassanian Empire in Persia even on his deathbed.
Alongside the visionary who believed that his success came from the
direct intervention of his God resided an aggressive warrior, a
sometimes cruel partner, and an immensely shrewd ruler. These
characteristics combined together in a long and remarkable career,
which restored the Roman Empire to its former glory.
Beginning
with his first biographer Eusebius, Constantine's image has been
subject to distortion. More recent revisions include John Carroll's
view of him as the intellectual ancestor of the Holocaust
(Constantine's Sword) and Dan Brown's presentation of him as the man
who oversaw the reshaping of Christian history (The Da Vinci Code).
In Constantine the Emperor, David Potter confronts each of these
skewed and partial accounts to provide the most comprehensive,
authoritative, and readable account of Constantine's extraordinary
life.
The Archaeology of Roman York
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When soldiers of the Roman 9th Legion
arrived in AD 70, they built a fortress and this huge military camp
formed the foundation of the modern city of York. Roman legionaries
were garrisoned in the city for over three centuries and a huge
provincial town grew up around them. Eboracum was a city at the edge
of the Empire.
Constantine: Dynasty, Religion and
Constantine: Dynasty, Religion and
Power in the Later Roman Empire
By Timothy
Barnes
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Drawing on
recent scholarly advances and new evidence, Timothy Barnes offers a
fresh and exciting study of Constantine and his life.
First
study of Constantine to make use of Kevin Wilkinson's re-dating of
the poet Palladas to the reign of Constantine, disproving the
predominant scholarly belief that Constantine remained tolerant in
matters of religion to the end of his reign.Clearly
sets out the problems associated with depictions of Constantine and
answers them with great clarity. Includes
Barnes' own research into the marriage of Constantine's parents,
Constantine's status as a crown prince and his father's legitimate
heir, and his dynastic plans. Honorable
Mention for 2011 Classics & Ancient History PROSE award granted
by the Association of American Publishers
The Civil
War:
Together
with the Alexandrian War, the African War, and the Spanish War
By Julius
Caesar
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A military
leader of legendary genius, Caesar was also a great writer, recording
the events of his life with incomparable immediacy and power. The
Civil War is a tense and gripping depiction of his struggle with
Pompey over the leadership of Republican Rome - a conflict that
spanned the entire Roman world, from Gaul and Spain to Asia and
Africa. Where Caesar's own account leaves off in 48 BC, his
lieutenants take up the history, describing the vital battles of
Munda, Spain and Thapsus, and the installation of Cleopatra, later
Caesar's mistress, as Queen of Egypt. Together these narratives paint
a full picture of the events that brought Caesar supreme power - and
paved the way for his assassination only months later.
The
Roman Empire from Severus to Constantine
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The
third century of the Roman Empire is a confused and sparsely
documented period, punctuated by wars, victorious conquests and
ignominious losses, and a recurring cycle of rebellions that saw
several Emperors created and eliminated by the Roman armies. In AD
260 the Empire almost collapsed, and yet by the end of the third
century the Roman world was brought back.
The
Ars Amatoria (English: The Art of Love)
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This
is an instructional elegy series in three books by Ancient Roman poet
Ovid. It was written in 2 AD. It is about teaching basic gentlemanly
male and female relationship skills and techniques.
Pagan
Holiday: On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists
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The
Colosseum was Imperial Rome's monument to warfare. Like a cathedral
of death it towered over the city and invited its citizens, 50,000 at
a time, to watch murderous gladiatorial games. Award winning
classicist, Mary Beard with Keith Hopkins, tell the story of Rome's
greatest arena: how it was built; the gladiatorial and other games
that were held there; the training of the gladiators; the audiences
who revelled in the games, the emperors who staged them and the
critics. And the strange after story - the Colosseum has been fort,
store, church, and glue factory.
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Ancient
Romans were the first people in history to enjoy safe & easy
travel, Romans embarked on the original Grand Tour, journeying from
the lost city of Troy to the Acropolis
Warrior of
Rome (Kindle Edition)
Warrior of
Rome I: Fire in the East
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Warrior of
Rome II: King of Kings
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Warrior of
Rome III: Lion of the Sun
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book https://amzn.to/3h0dPu7
Warrior of
Rome IV: The Caspian Gates
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book https://amzn.to/30qtvAv
Warrior of
Rome V: The Wolves of the North
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The Roman
Imperium is stretched to breaking point, with its might and authority
challenged along every border.
The Eagle
of The Ninth
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The Ninth
Legion marched into the mists of northern Britain - and they were
never seen again. Four
thousand men disappeared and their eagle standard was lost. It's a
mystery that's never been solved, until now . . .
Marcus has to find out what happened to his father, who led the legion. So he sets out into the unknown, on a quest so dangerous that nobody expects him to return.
The
Eagle of the Ninth is heralded as one of the
most outstanding children's books of the twentieth century and has
sold over a million copies worldwide. Rosemary Sutcliff writes with
such passion and attention to detail that Roman Britain is instantly
brought to life and stays with the reader long after the last page
has been turned. The book is also now the subject of a major film.
Agricola and Germania
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The
Agricola is both a
portrait of Julius Agricola - the most famous governor of Roman
Britain and Tacitus' well-loved and respected father-in-law - and the
first detailed account of Britain that has come down to us. It offers
fascinating descriptions of the geography, climate and peoples of the
country, and a succinct account of the early stages of the Roman
occupation, nearly fatally undermined by Boudicca's revolt in AD 61
but consolidated by campaigns that took Agricola as far as Anglesey
and northern Scotland. The warlike German tribes are the focus of
Tacitus' attention in the Germania,
which, like the Agricola,
often compares the behaviour of 'barbarian' peoples favourably with
the decadence and corruption of Imperial Rome.
The
Complete Roman Legions
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The
legions of Rome were among the greatest fighting forces in history.
For almost half a millennium they secured the known world under the
power of the Caesars. This pioneering account gathers together the
stories of each and every imperial legion, telling the tales of their
triumphs and defeats as they policed the empire and enlarged its
borders. Focusing on the legions as the core of the Roman army, and
chronicling their individual histories in detail, this volume builds
on the thematic account of the Roman military force given by its
companion The Complete Roman Army , and is vital reading for anyone
who has enjoyed that book.
Memento
Mori
What the Romans Can Tell Us About Old Age and Death
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In this
revealing and entertaining guide to how the Romans confronted their
own mortality, Peter Jones shows us that all the problems associated
with old age and death that so transfix us today were already dealt
with by our ancient ancestors two thousand years ago.
Romans
inhabited a world where man, knowing nothing about hygiene let alone
disease, had no defences against nature. Death was everywhere. Half
of all Roman children were dead by the age of five. Only eight per
cent of the population made it over sixty. One bizarre result was
that half the population consisted of teenagers.
From the
elites' philosophical take on the brevity of life to the epitaphs
left by butchers, bakers and buffoons, Memento Mori ('Remember you
die') shows how the Romans faced up to this world and attempted to
take the sting out of death.
The
Eclogues and Georgics
By Virgil
The
Eclogues, ten short
pastoral poems, were composed between approximately 42 and 39 BC,
during the time of the 'Second' Triumvirate of Lepidus, Anthony, and
Octavian. In them Virgil subtly blended an idealized Arcadia with
contemporary history. To his Greek model - the Idylls
of Theocritus - he added a strong element of Italian realism: places
and people, real or disguised, and contemporary events are
introduced. The Eclogues
display all Virgil's art and charm and are among his most delightful
achievements.
Between
approximately 39 and 29 BC, years of civil strife between Antony, and
Octavian, Virgil was engaged upon the Georgics.
Part agricultural manual, full of observations of animals and nature,
they deal with the farmer's life and give it powerful allegorical
meaning. These four books contain some of Virgil's finest descriptive
writing and are generally held to be his greatest and most
entertaining work, and C. Day Lewis's lyrical translations are
classics in their own right.
Hadrian's Wall Operations Manual:
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From Construction to World Heritage Site (Ad122 Onwards)
Hadrian's
Wall is the largest, most spectacular historical monument in Britain.
Nothing else approaches its vast scale: a land wall running 73 miles
from east to west and a sea wall stretching at least 26 miles down the
Cumbrian coast. Some of its forts are as large as Britain's most
formidable medieval castles, and with its mile towers, barracks and
soldier's leisure facilities, the site allows an astonishingly rich
insight into Roman frontier life. Hadrian's Wall Manual looks at the
design and construction of the wall, from the initial land survey to its
busiest period as Rome's most northern frontier.
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History Website http://romanancienthistory.blogspot.com/