Army of the Roman emperors : archaeology and history / Thomas Fischer ; with contributions by Ronald Bockius, Dietrich Boschung, and Thomas Schmidts ; translated by M. C. Bishop.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fischer, Thomas, 1949- author.

Contributor:

Bockius, Ronald, contributor.

Boschung, Dietrich, contributor.

Schmidts, Thomas, 1965- contributor.

Bishop, M. C., translator.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Military art and science--Rome.

Military art and science.

Rome--Army.

Rome.

Rome--History, Military.

Physical Description:

1 online resource : illustrations (some color), maps (some color)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; Havertown, PA : Oxbow Books, 2019.

Summary:

Compared to modern standard, the Roman army of the imperial era was surprisingly small. However, when assessed in terms of their various tasks, they by far outstrip modern armies - acting not only as an armed power of the state in external and internal conflicts, but also carrying out functions which nowadays are performed by police, local government, customs and tax authorities, as well as constructing roads, ships, and buildings.0With this opulent volume, Thomas Fischer presents a comprehensive and unique exploration of the Roman military of the imperial era. With over 600 illustrations, the costumes, weapons and equipment of the Roman army are explored in detail using archaeological finds dating from the late Republic to Late Antiquity, and from all over the Roman Empire. The buildings and fortifications associated with the Roman army are also discussed. By comparing conflicts, border security, weaponry and artefacts, the development of the army through time is traced.0This work is intended for experts as well as to readers with a general interest in Roman history. It is also a treasure-trove for re-enactment groups, as it puts many common perceptions of the weaponry, equipment and dress of the Roman army to the test.

Contents:

Intro

Title

Copyright

Contents

Translator's Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

The state of research

The iconographic sources

On armament, equipment, and the buildings

Basic information on the history and structure of the Roman army

The Republic

The cohort legion

Legions in the Imperial period

Infantrymen

Legionary commanders and military tribunes

Legionary prefects

Centurions

Principales and immunes

Auxiliaries (auxilia)

Structure

Nomenclature

Citizenship

Numeri

Guards

Militias

The so-called 'military reform' of the 4th century AD

The Roman navy

Notes to introduction

Part I Iconographic sources for the Roman military by Dietrich Boschung

1. Introduction

2. Republican representations

The frieze on the monument of L. Aemilius Paullus at Delphi

The Census Relief in the Louvre

The Sant'Omobono base (Bocchus Monument)

3. The Early Empire: Augustus to Domitian

The frieze from the Porticus Octaviae

The silver cup from Boscoreale

Representations from the Julio-Claudian period

The Cancelleria reliefs

4. Representations from the middle imperial period

Trajan's Column

The Great Trajanic Frieze

The Column of Marcus Aurelius

A series of reliefs of Marcus Aurelius

The Arch of Severus

5. Representations from the Tetrarchic period

The Arch of Galerius in Thessaloniki

6. Representations from Late Antiquity

The Arch of Constantine

Notes to Part I

Part II General remarks on the Roman army

Selection of the material dealt with here

2. A history of research

From the Middle Ages to the beginning of critical historical research

From the 19th century to the First World War

From the end of the First to the end of the Second World War

After the Second World War.

The 'Robinson effect'

3. Armament and equipment

Change

Adoption of enemy armament

Uniformity and regional differences

Supply of weapons

The technology of weapons production and procurement of raw materials

Iron

Copper alloy

Other materials

State arms factories in Late Antiquity

Ownership

Secondary use of weapons

Military

Secondary civilian use

The durability of weapons

4. Find contexts of Roman weapons and equipment parts

Finds from camps, forts and other military sites

Finds from civilian settlements

Finds from water

Grave finds

Hoards

Battlefield and siege finds

Dedications

Finds from Germanic sacrificial bogs

5. Legionary or auxiliary equipment?

Praetorians

Auxiliary cavalry

Auxiliary soldiers with specialized or local armament

Armoured cavalry (cataphractarii, clibanarii)

Oriental archers

Dacians with the scimitar (sica)

Numerus soldiers

Marines

Other paramilitary units

Arming of civilians

6. Rank insignia

Emperor, tribunes, and legates

Optiones

Pieces of equipment made of precious metals as a sign of military rank?

7. On the reconstruction of Roman fighting methods

8. Comments on the re-enactment scene

9. Forgeries

Notes to Part II

Part III Costumes, weapons, and equipment of the army from original archaeological finds

1. Infantry

Clothing

Tunics

Trousers

Undergarments

Belts

Cloaks

Brooches

Scarves

Cummerbunds

Headgear

Shoes

Socks

Defensive weaponry

Helmets

Armour

Greaves

Armguards (manicae)

Shields

Offensive weapons

Swords

Parazonia

Hewing knives

Daggers

Shafted weapons

Bow and arrow

Slings

2. Cavalry

Tunic, cloaks, leggings

Belt

Spurs

Defensive weapons.

Cavalry helmets: the various types and their variants

Spathae

Spears

Horse harness

Components of horse harness

Parade weapons

Face-mask helmets

Parade armour?

Parade equipment for horses

Horse chamfrons

Phalerae

3. Artillery

4. Standards and instruments for signalling

Standards

Simple standards

Composite standards

Signal and musical instruments

Lituus

Bucina

Tuba

Cornu

5. Awards and decorations

6. Pioneer tools, tents, field pack

Digression on the Künzing hoard

Tools

Mattock (dolabra)

Pickaxe

Entrenching tool

Turf cutter

Axe

Billhook

Baskets (cophini)

Timber nails

Palisade stakes

Shackles and 'crow's feet'

Tents

Marching pack

Notes to Part III

Part IV The buildings of the Roman army

2. Roman camps and forts

Camp and fort defences

Timber and earth defences

Stone construction

Internal buildings of legionary camps and auxiliary forts

Streets

Principia

Praetorium

Tribunes' houses

Barracks

Tabernae

Baths

Exercise halls

Grain storage (horrea)

Hospitals (valetudinaria)

Workshops (fabricae)

Storage and other rooms

Ovens

Water supply and latrines

Infrastructure and facilities

Exercise and training sites (campus)

Civilian settlements in the area

3. The most important types of camps and forts

Marching camps without internal buildings

Republican marching camps

Imperial-period marching camps

Practice camps

Permanent camps with internal buildings

Semi-permanent Republican camps

Siege works of the Republican and Imperial periods

Camps, fortresses and forts of the early and middle Imperial period

Double-legionary bases in chronological order.

Legionary camps in chronological order

Vexillation fortresses in chronological order

Vexillation forts

Supply bases

Auxiliary forts

Ala forts

Cohors equitata forts

Cohors peditata forts

Forts for mixed garrisons

Garrison within a city

Numerus forts

Smaller forts

Fortlets

Watchtowers

Camps and forts in and around Rome

Castra Praetoria

Accommodation for the cohortes urbanae

Accommodation for the Germani corporis custodes

Forts for the equites singulares Augusti

Castra Peregrina

Forts for fleet personnel

Accommodation for vigiles

Legionary base at Albano

4. Late Roman fortifications

Forts

Burgi

5. Military infrastructure

Roads

Canals

6. Limites and ripae

The terms 'limes' and 'ripa'

Function

Late Roman Frontier Defence

The frontier security systems of the Roman Empire

Hadrian's Wall

Antonine Wall

Late Roman frontier defence of Britain

The Rhine frontier in Lower Germany (Ripa Rheni Germaniae inferioris)

The Upper German-Raetian Limes

The Late Roman Danube-Iller-Rhine limes

The Norican Danube limes (Ripa Danuvii Provinciae Norici)

Pannonian Danube limes (Ripa Danuvii provinciae Pannoniae)

Upper Moesian Danube frontier (Ripa Danuvii provinciae Moesiae superioris)

Dacian Limes (Limes Daciae)

Lower Moesian Danube frontier (Ripa Danuvii provinciae Moesiae inferioris)

The limes on the upper Euphrates and in the Middle East

Limes in Pontus and Cappadocia

Limes in Syria

Limes Arabicus

Limes in Egypt

The limes in Cyrenaica, Africa Proconsularis, and Numidia

The limes in the provinces of Mauretania Tingitana and Caesariensis

Notes to Part IV

Part V The development periods of Roman military history

2. Republic

Military conflicts

Armament and equipment.

Armament and equipment of auxiliary units

Securely dated weapons and equipment finds (selection)

3. The early Imperial period from Augustus to Nero

Securing the frontiers of the empire

Armament and equipment

Legionary infantry

Auxiliary infantry

4. The middle Imperial period from Vespasian to Trajan

Securely dated finds of weapons and equipment (selection)

5. The middle Imperial period from Hadrian to Septimius Severus

Excursion on the 'Celtic Renaissance' in military fittings

6. The middle Imperial period from Caracalla to the reforms of Diocletian

7. Late Antiquity

Securely dated finds of weapons and equipment

Byzantine weapons - an overview

Notes to Part V

Part VI The Roman navy

1. Arming and equipping the marines

Organization of the marines

Armament

2. Bases of the Roman fleets in the Imperial period by Thomas Schmidts

Characteristics of ancient military ports

Roman naval bases

Overview

Misenum/Miseno (Italy)

Ravenna (Italy)

Forum Iulii/Fréjus (France)

Seleukeia Pieria/Samandag (Turkey).

Aliso?/Haltern-Hofestatt (Germany).

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

9781789251876

1789251877

9781789251852

1789251850

OCLC:

1416188852