The Roman army was one of the most successful fighting forces in history. Its highly advanced organization and tactics were unequaled until the modern era, and monuments to its perseverance and engineering skill are still visible today throughout Europe and the Mediterranean world.


This book is the first to examine in detail not just the early imperial army, but also the citizens' militia of the republic and the army of the later empire. Every aspect of the Roman army, from the daily lives of individual soldiers to the outcome of major campaigns, is explored:


• The Republican Army considers the earliest armies, the creation of the Roman navy, and the militia army that conquered the Mediterranean.
• The Professional Army describes reforms under Marius and his successors and the creation of the new legionary structure.
• The Life of a Roman Soldier looks in detail at all aspects, from recruitment and daily routine to equipment and off-duty life.
• The Army at War reveals how the army operated, from grand tactics to hand-to-hand combat and siege warfare.
• The Army of Late Antiquity examines the reorganization after the defeats of the third century and the rise in the use of cavalry.


Discussions of key Roman battles and brief biographies of the great commanders bring the army's campaigns and personalities to life, while hundreds of photographs, diagrams, and specially commissioned battle plans illustrate the many aspects of the Roman army over several centuries. 245 illustrations, 107 in color.