The Roman Army : A Social and Institutional History

The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History offers a revealing portrait of a legendary fighting force in peacetime and at war from a soldier's-eye view. Organized thematically, it explores the army's history, culture, and organization, while providing fascinating details of the soldier's daily life and of the army's interactions with citizens, politicians, and the inhabitants of conquered territories. Written by a leading scholar of Roman military history, The Roman Army helps readers appreciate the distinctive traits that helped the army sustain itself for nearly 1,000 years, including its adaptability (soldiers did civilian police and military duty and the army continually modified its tactics and weapons), as well as its training methods, compensation system, strict regimen of punishment and rewards, and its skill at "Romanizing" foreign lands. Readers will also see how historians pieced together their understanding of the army's way of life, drawing on everything from Rome's rich historical record to depictions of military subjects in literature and art. For Nearly 1,000 Years, Rome's Army Embodied The Nation It Protected And Expanded. But Beyond The Battlefield, The Roman Army Was A Fundamental Social Force As Well, Becoming The World's First Fully Compensated Standing Army And Providing An Essential Career Path For Ambitious Men Of Society. Written By A Leading Scholar Of Roman Military History, The Roman Army: A Social And Institutional History Is The First Ever Portrait Of This Legendary Fighting Force In Peacetime And At War From A Soldier's-eye View. Organized Thematically, The Roman Army Explores The Army's History, Culture, And Organization, While Providing Fascinating Details Of The Soldier's Daily Existence And Of The Army's Interactions With Citizens, Politicians, And The Inhabitants Of Conquered Territories. The Book Also Offers A Look At Historians At Work, Piecing Together Their Understanding Of Army Life By Drawing On Everything From Rome's Rich Historical And Archaeological Record To Soldiers' Personal Correspondence To Depictions Of Military Subjects In Literature And Art.--jacket. Historical Background -- The Roman Army -- Culture Of The Roman Army -- The Roman Army At War -- Tools Of War -- The Late Roman Army -- Great Soldiers And Battles -- Current Assessment. Pat Southern. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 343-349) And Index. The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History offers a revealing portrait of a legendary fighting force in peacetime and at war from a soldieris-eye view. Organized thematically, it explores the armyis history, culture, and organization, while providing fascinating details of the soldieris daily life and of the armyis interactions with citizens, politicians, and the inhabitants of conquered territories.Written by a leading scholar of Roman military history, The Roman Army helps readers appreciate the distinctive traits that helped the army sustain itself for nearly 1,000 years, including its adaptability (soldiers did civilian police and military duty and the army continually modified its tactics and weapons, as well as its training methods, compensation system, strict regimen of punishment and rewards, and its skill at iRomanizingi foreign lands. Readers will also see how historians pieced together their understanding of the armyis way of life, drawing on everything from Romeis rich historical record to depictions of military subjects in literature and art. The philosophers of the Roman world were asking questions whose answers had practical effects on people's lives in antiquity, and which still influence our thinking to this day. In spite of being neglected in the modern era, this important age of philosophical thought is now undergoing a revival of interest.Mark Morford's lively survey makes these recent scholarly developments accessible to a wide audience, examining the writings and ideas of both famous and lesser known figures - from Cato the Censor in 155 BCE to Marcus Aurelius in 180 CE. Based around extensive and fully translated quotations from the philosophical texts of the era, full consideration is given throughout to historical, political and cultural context. Contents 6 Preface and Acknowledgments 10 Maps 12 Chapter 1 Introduction 16 Chapter 2 Historical Background 52 Chapter 3 The Roman Army 102 Chapter 4 Culture of the Roman Army 156 Chapter 5 The Roman Army at War 186 Chapter 6 Tools ofWar 224 Chapter 7 The Late Roman Army 260 Chapter 8 Great Soldiers and Battles 282 Chapter 9 Current Assessment 338 Appendix Rank Structure in the Roman Army 346 Glossary 350 Bibliography 358 Index 366 About the Author 398 Offers a portrait of a legendary fighting force in peacetime and at war from a soldier's-eye view. Organized thematically, this book explores the army's history, culture, and organization, while providing details of the soldier's daily life and of the army's interactions with citizens, politicians, and the inhabitants of conquered territories This volume spans over a thousand years as it offers a picture of one of the world's most noted fighting forces, paying special attention to the life of the common soldier. --from publisher description Mark Morford provides a lively, succinct and comprehensive survey of the philosophers of the Roman world, from Cato the Censor in 155 BCE to the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 CE